EMPORIA, Va. — Emporia, Virginia, is now the first "Flock Safe City" in the Commonwealth, rolling out a sweeping suite of public safety technologies that go far beyond license plate readers.
The city, home to just under 6,000 residents and spanning only 6 square miles, made the announcement Monday morning. The Flock Safe Cities program allows jurisdictions to employ all of Flock Safety's technologies through a single contract, according to the company's website.
William Johnson, Emporia's city manager, said the partnership marks a milestone for the small city.
"Through our partnership with Flock Safety, Emporia is leading the way as the First Flock Safety Community in the Commonwealth of Virginia," Johnson said.
At the heart of the new system are more than 400 cameras now integrated into Emporia's Flock network — pulling in feeds from the school system and area businesses alongside the city's own infrastructure.
Emporia Police Chief Troy Hawkins said the technology is already producing results. Just last week, he said, a Flock license plate reader helped officers quickly resolve a theft.
"We had a stolen vehicle come into the City and within 30 minutes we had a suspect in custody," Hawkins said.
Hawkins described the broader system as a turning point for his department.
"This is a new era for policing, it is a workforce multiplier," Hawkins said.
Local businesses have embraced the program as well. The Top Hand Foundation is giving police access to all of its cameras, both inside and outside its property.
"Just knowing if something was to happen at our facility or around our facility, they already have access to everything," said Sarah Richardson of the Top Hand Foundation.
One of the more distinctive additions to the system is a new Flock drone that will be housed on the roof of the police department. The drone launches automatically when 911 calls come in to dispatch.
"Arriving at the scene in under 90 seconds, providing visuals before units even reach the scene," Hawkins said.
The drone is also equipped with a thermal camera to assist in missing persons searches. The new system additionally includes gunshot detection and car crash detection capabilities.
For Xylina Lucas, who splits her time between Richmond and Emporia, the technology is a welcome addition.
"I think it will come in pretty handy cause that way if anybody might be running from the law or anything, they can run their license plates and check whose the name on the registration and stuff. So it will come in handy," Lucas said.
Related story: Richmond's Flock Safety cameras solve crimes, but critics raise concerns
Not everyone has embraced the expansion of surveillance technology without questions, and Flock Safety addressed those concerns directly at the announcement.
"All data collected from these devices is 100 percent owned and controlled by the City of Emporia. That data is automatically deleted after 30 days and every search in the system requires a documented reason," Paris Lewbel of Flock Safety said.
"When people feel safe, businesses invest, neighborhoods thrive, families put down roots and communities grow stronger together," said Vice Mayor Clifton Threat.
The Flock technology is continuing to be integrated at the police department. All of it is expected to be fully online within the next six months.
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