By Vinny Porco

ULPD Interim Chief of Police Bryan Luckett addressed the Student Government Association Tuesday evening before a senate meeting, discussing safety-related topics.

Student spectators filled rows of seats in Strickler Hall’s Cochran Auditorium. Many joined their SGA representatives in attendance to share concerns about campus Flock cameras.

U of L sophomore Kaelan Richardson listens in on a discussion about Flock cameras with ULPD Interim Chief of Police Bryan Luckett before a Sept. 22 senate meeting in Strickler Hall’s Cochran Auditorium. Student protesters behind him hold signs reading “FLOCK OFF UOFL.” (Photo by Vinny Porco / The Louisville Cardinal)

Before discussion of Flock commenced, however, Luckett and Clery Coordinator Angel Morales briefly discussed SafeZone, the new safety app replacing CardArmor and Rave Alerts at U of L.

Luckett listed off a number of new features and encouraged sign-ups. He expressed pride in the new system compared with the old.

“We really studied this,” said Luckett. “We worked with our IT a lot to make sure that it was gonna flow with our university.”

SGA Executive Vice President Riley Maddox facilitates a discussion about safety with ULPD Interim Chief of Police Bryan Luckett before a Sept. 22 senate meeting in Strickler Hall’s Cochran Auditorium. (Photo by Vinny Porco / The Louisville Cardinal)

It was soon time to discuss Flock cameras. Riley Maddox, executive vice president of SGA, told awaiting audience members, “We’re gonna get to where you all think we’re gonna get to.”

Talk about Flock

Luckett began discussion by explaining the basics of Flock cameras. “Flock is license plate-reading technology,” he said. “Flock is not a GPS tracking unit.”

The chief also acknowledged concerns about the technology’s relationship with constitutional rights. His assurance was close to home. “I served in two branches of the military, okay? Protecting people’s constitutional rights are very, very, very important to me,” he said.

Along these lines, Luckett informed students about a recently-implemented policy that disciplines ULPD officers “up to termination” if caught misusing the technology.

Procedurally, he noted that most of Flock’s use within the department involves stolen vehicles coming into campus from outside. He said dispatch is notified when Flock cameras scan a plate logged as stolen in the national crime database.

Luckett then explained the technology is not widely used beyond its passive applications. “It sits in our radio room,” he said. “The only time people usually get on it is if our detectives are investigating a past crime.”

He further praised the technology for helping solve cases, citing a recovered vehicle that was stolen from affiliated housing and a solved football complex break-in as recent wins.

Fielding questions

Addison Ricafort, vice president of the College of Arts and Sciences, was first to ask Luckett a question about Flock. She inquired about Flock search logs, asking, “Who will review those logs, how frequently are they reviewed and are searches randomly audited to ensure they’re connected to legitimate investigations?”

College of Arts and Sciences Vice President Addison Ricafort asks ULPD Interim Chief of Police Bryan Luckett a question about Flock cameras before a Sept. 22 senate meeting in Strickler Hall’s Cochran Auditorium. (Photo by Vinny Porco / The Louisville Cardinal)

Luckett said ULPD’s administration major conducts such reviews and audits along with most internal investigations. Dion Dodson is the current interim administration major according to ULPD’s online directory.

College of Arts and Sciences Senator Peyton DeWitt made the next comment, zeroing in on the ways Flock Safety technology has been misused by some departments nationwide.

“The ‘FreeForm’ tool that Flock offers has been used by other departments for searching people based off perceived political identity,” DeWitt said. “And the ‘OS Investigate’ tool can list a person’s name, date of birth, owned vehicles, police records, contact details, relatives, online accounts and even their social security number.”

Luckett said in response that ULPD only subscribes to the “basic Flock service.”

DeWitt then followed up, mentioning a Shively Police Department officer who was recently charged with several misdemeanors for allegedly using the department’s Flock access to stalk the mother of his child.

He asked, “How can students feel safe knowing that they can be tracked by police by any identifier, whether it’s a young woman that can be searched by a creepy police officer or someone who can be tracked based off of political identity?”

College of Arts and Sciences Senator Peyton DeWitt asks ULPD Interim Chief of Police Bryan Luckett a question about Flock cameras before a Sept. 22 senate meeting in Strickler Hall’s Cochran Auditorium. (Photo by Vinny Porco / The Louisville Cardinal)

Luckett answered by affirming ULPD’s use of Flock cameras only as license plate readers. He explained the Shively officer in question, Asad Zahir, used the woman’s plate number and a corresponding case code rather than more advanced tracking technology.

The initial question session lasted just over 10 minutes, though Maddox allowed two more questions to be asked.

The final question came from student Arabella Gray, who asked about notions of safety with respect to a comment Luckett made at an Aug. 26 Town Hall event hosted by President Gerry Bradley and Provost Kathryn Cardarelli in Chao Auditorium.

Luckett, discussing Flock, joked, “I was telling President Bradley, I was like, ‘I believe flock is safe as long as you don’t date a police officer.’” The audience, comprised primarily of university administrators, laughed at the remark. Zahir’s alleged misuse of Shively Flock data to stalk the mother of his child was first reported just one day prior.

In response, Luckett said the comment was “out of context” and affirmed ULPD’s commitment to seeking further accreditation to ensure internal integrity.

The department is looking to soon apply for accreditation through the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. ULPD recently renewed their accreditation with the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police.

SGA conducted a routine meeting after Luckett’s appearance. Following the meeting, Luckett spoke briefly with The Cardinal. He explained that though ULPD leases the technology from Flock Safety, the company cannot access camera data.

Luckett also said LMPD and Kentucky State Police are given access to campus camera data per ULPD’s memorandum of understanding with Flock Safety.

The next SGA senate meeting is set to take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Kornhauser Auditorium on U of L’s Health Sciences Campus.

The Louisville Cardinal has submitted an open records request for ULPD’s memorandum of understanding with Flock Safety and is awaiting response.

Feature Photo by Vinny Porco / The Louisville Cardinal