City of Columbia, MO

08/11/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/11/2026 15:36

Columbia Police update Flock Transparency Portal

600 E. Walnut Street
Columbia, MO 65201

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 11, 2026

CONTACT: Public Information Office
Columbia Police Department
City of Columbia
573.874.7652
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Columbia Police update Flock Transparency Portal

(COLUMBIA, MO) -

The Columbia Police Department has launched several updates to its online Flock Transparency Portal. The updated portal provides citizens with greater insight into how automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology is utilized in Columbia to keep the community safe, while strictly safeguarding privacy.

Designed to keep Columbia residents informed about the deployment and usage of the Flock Safety system, the updated Flock Transparency Portal now features the following additions:

  • Public safety audit case/CAD numbers have been added to the portal. To ensure maximum accountability, specific case/CAD numbers are now viewable to the public for every search conducted by the department over the past 30 days.
  • Top offense types are now available. The portal now displays the leading search reasons by CPD over the previous 30 days, allowing the public to see what types of crimes the technology is being used to investigate.
  • A new section highlights the data retention period for all information collected by the Flock Camera System, ensuring residents know exactly how long data is stored before being permanently deleted.
  • The portal now provides a current list of agencies that have access to data collected by the CPD Flock Safety System. The department strictly limits this data sharing to agencies in Missouri (this feature was added previously over the past several months). The in-state sharing only safeguard has been in place since the program started in Columbia.
  • A new section outlines the security measures and privacy compliance in place for use of the Flock Safety System.
  • To combat misinformation online regarding ALPR technology, a new fact sheet clarifies what the system does and directly addresses common misconceptions.
  • A dedicated section featuring recent stories from across Missouri where Flock cameras have been successfully used to solve crimes and enhance public safety.
  • The CPD policy regarding the use of ALPR Technology has been added to the website.

The Columbia Police Department remains dedicated to utilizing technology responsibly to protect the community while maintaining an open dialogue with the citizens it serves.

Residents are encouraged to review the updates and learn more about the department's use of ALPR technology by visiting the CPD official website and navigating to the Flock Transparency Portal.

Visit the Flock Transparency Portal: https://transparency.flocksafety.com/columbia-mo-pd



City of Columbia Vision
Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.

City of Columbia Mission
To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.

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City of Columbia, MO published this content on August 11, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 11, 2026 at 21:36 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]