Delaware Appointed Official to Draft Flock Camera Rules
The state commission seeks to create uniform regulations for police license plate reader use across Delaware.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Should police be required to follow strict statewide standards when using license plate tracking technology?
The Delaware Police Accreditation Commission has appointed an administrator to draft statewide regulations governing the use of Flock license plate reader technology. The move addresses public concerns regarding government surveillance and aims to fix inconsistent data handling practices between various police departments.
Why it matters
Lawmakers are addressing growing public concern over government surveillance by moving to standardize how law enforcement agencies across Delaware retain and share license plate data. These efforts aim to eliminate existing discrepancies in how different jurisdictions manage sensitive tracking information.
Delaware currently permits license plate reader data retention for up to 5 years, though commissioners identified 60 days as an optimal duration. The Dover Police Chief has requested a more restrictive limit of 30 days.
The players
Delaware Police Accreditation Commission
This body oversees standards and regulatory policy for law enforcement agencies operating throughout the state of Delaware.
Kelli Burns
She was appointed by the commission to lead the development of statewide rules for the use of automated license plate reader technology.
Newark Police Department
This local law enforcement agency serves as the model for the new statewide policy due to its established procedures for data sharing with external agencies.
The details
The commission plans to base its new statewide guidelines on standards set by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. They will also utilize existing Newark Police Department protocols, which require formal documentation for sharing information with out-of-state agencies in Maryland, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania.
Timeline
The Delaware Police Accreditation Commission held its quarterly meeting on October 13, 2026.
Commissioners will reconvene on January 12, 2027, to discuss the draft regulations.
Legal Context
The Delaware Police Accreditation Commission is aligning its local oversight with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies standards. This shift marks a departure from disparate local policies toward a unified regulatory framework for surveillance technologies.
Residents may see more consistent transparency and privacy protections regarding how their vehicle movements are tracked and stored by police. The new rules aim to limit how long law enforcement can hold onto license plate data, directly addressing public concerns about government surveillance.
The takeaway
Establishing clear, uniform data retention policies can help maintain public trust as police departments integrate new tracking technologies. Communities can advocate for shorter retention windows to further align law enforcement practices with local privacy expectations.
What happens next
The Delaware Police Accreditation Commission is scheduled to discuss the newly drafted regulations during a formal meeting on January 12, 2027.
Further reading
For more information on current oversight efforts, visit Law Enforcement.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Spotlight Delaware.
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Should police be required to follow strict statewide standards when using license plate tracking technology?
