Palm Springs Police present Flock camera report amid transparency concerns

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - Palm Springs police say the city’s public safety camera system is helping investigators make arrests and recover stolen vehicles, but some residents are raising questions about transparency, audits and how surveillance data is shared.

The department presented an update to the Palm Springs City Council on Wednesday, October 14, outlining the system’s reported results and addressing concerns about public access to information.

The program includes 55 automated license plate reader cameras and 159 video cameras at about 55 intersections. The department’s Real Time Intelligence Center, which began operating in December 2025, uses camera footage and alerts to help officers respond to incidents and investigate crimes.

According to the report, police documented 138 arrests supported by the camera system between March 10 and September 30, 2026. Data covering July 2025 through June 2026 also showed 47 cases cleared by arrest, 36 stolen vehicles recovered and more than $365,000 in recovered property in camera-assisted cases where values were reported.

Police also reported a 70% decline in vehicle thefts, from 132 incidents between April and June 2024 to 39 during the same period in 2026. The department said the decline cannot be attributed to cameras alone, citing other crime-prevention efforts, including directed patrols and partnerships with retailers.

“We’re already having successes, even with the challenges we’re identifying. That’s a good thing,” said council member Ron deHarte.

During Wednesday’s meeting, resident Joshua Handrich questioned how much information about the system’s use is available to the public.

Handrich said he has been seeking audit results through public records requests but has not received the information he requested.

“I personally have not seen a single audit,” Handrich said. “I’ve been asking for three months for those audit results and they’ve refused to produce them to me.”

Police said some audit information contains confidential data and the department is working with the city attorney’s office to determine what can be released.

Police Chief Kyle Stjerne also addressed questions about whether the city’s citizen oversight board receives data from the system.

“We haven’t shared any level of data with them,” Stjerne said, adding that the department would consider whether information could be released without compromising investigations or disclosing confidential data.

Council members also questioned how camera footage is shared with outside agencies. Police clarified that sharing a specific video clip does not give another agency direct access to the city’s camera system.

The department says license plate data is automatically deleted after 30 days, sharing is generally limited to California law enforcement agencies, and its policy prohibits sharing the data for federal immigration enforcement, subject to certain legal exceptions. Police also conduct regular audits of system use.

Palm Springs police plan to provide quarterly updates to the City Council on the system’s use, public safety outcomes and accountability measures.

The city is also preparing a proposed ordinance that would establish penalties for the improper use of automated license plate reader systems.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.