CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – All City Councilors present, except Natalie Oschrin, expressed satisfaction with the new Flock camera program at Monday night’s meeting following a presentation by Police Chief Mike Kochis about the first six months of its operation. Councilor Michael Payne was absent. Kochis provided an update, outlining the successes the cameras have contributed to in solving crimes. The cameras are designed to capture only images of license plates, not of people inside the vehicles.

Kochis shared that Charlottesville has one of the most, if not the most, restrictive Flock camera policies in the Commonwealth, and he’s perfectly fine with that. Data is stored for seven days, and the system is audited monthly by both CPD and the executive director of the Police Civilian Oversight Board.

Kochis said the system has been used to recover multiple stolen vehicles, which he emphasized is important since many people rely on their vehicles to go to work. He also noted that the cameras have been critical in the arrests related to two Hardy Drive shootings and were used to locate a missing Summit Elementary School student. Kochis mentioned that the cameras helped locate a homicide suspect in another jurisdiction who was in Charlottesville and have been useful in the investigation of Charlottesville’s first homicide of 2025, though an arrest has not been made. While he cannot discuss specific cases, he said the cameras have been valuable in all the city’s shooting investigations.

Though there was no formal vote, City Manager Sam Sanders gauged the Councilors’ stance on continuing the cameras’ use. Mayor JuanDiego Wade and Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston expressed unequivocal support for their continued use, while Councilor Lloyd Snook said he’s “cautiously optimistic.” Snook voiced concerns about potential civil liberties challenges posed by the cameras but expressed satisfaction with the city’s guardrails ensuring that the cameras are effective “without being overly intrusive.”

Natalie Oschrin refrained from taking a position, instead asking questions about when the one-year camera renewal began. She also suggested that increased use of alternative modes of transportation could reduce the need for such a program to address car thefts. Oschrin reminded Councilors that vehicles are often associated with many instances of violence in the area.