LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) According to the Loveland Police Department, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent with the username “a. Bro” accessed the Flock safety camera database multiple times, all using the subject “ICE” for their search.
“I was not aware that a note was put in the note section of ICE,” Loveland police chief Tim Doran said. “Now, why he would have put that note is really up to him or his chain of command. That’s not for me to answer.”
The Flock cameras, which are set up all over the state, are used to identify cars through aspects like license plate numbers, make, model and color. The ATF has full access to Loveland’s Flock cameras.
Police Chief Tim Doran said he asked ATF about this search and why they were using the subject line “ICE,” which could refer to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
“It was pertaining to an ATF investigation,” Doran said. “That employee of the ATF who works closely with our detectives and our criminal investigations team was researching a violent criminal in one of his ATF cases.”
affiliate KDVR also reached out to the ATF about this search and was met with a statement saying:
“ATF has used Flock through their partnership with Loveland PD. We have only used Flock when investigating violent offenders consistent with our mission. Some of those investigations into violent offenders have been in collaboration with ICE.”
In May, the Denver City Council did not approve a contract extension for Flock cameras in the county, citing privacy concerns.
