Following WRAL reporting, the Raleigh Police Department says it has
changed the way its Flock system defines “active user.”
“RPD has now changed how the system shows user numbers so
that it lists only active accounts,” an RPD spokesperson said in an email to
WRAL.
This update to the system comes after WRAL Investigates
exposed internal audits by RPD’s Office of Professional Standards from April
and May, which noted that among the more than 400 active Flock users, “Several active
users are no longer employed by the police department…”
RPD has maintained that although the former employees were
deemed “active users,” they did not have access to the Flock system.
“The audits counted both current and deactivated accounts
because old accounts are kept in the system for record-keeping and oversight,”
the email said. “RPD reviewed the
account histories and based on the system records, confirmed that former
employees did not use Flock after they left the department.”
How do officers log into the Flock system?
RPD has told WRAL that its employees must use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in order to gain access to its Flock system, which would keep former employees from logging in.
RPD says it has been incorporating MFA as part of its Flock
log-in process since December 2025, which is eight months before Flock mandated
that all agencies utilizes the security layer to prevent unauthorized access.
In August, Flock rolled out a number of additional security measures,
including MFA and a suggested 7-day video storage.
Currently, RPD keeps Flock video for 30 days.
“If particular information is needed for a criminal
investigation RPD may preserve that information in accordance with Department
policy and applicable law,” an RPD spokesperson told WRAL.
Who is accessing Flock within RPD?
The 400+ active users within RPD include administrators,
investigators, and patrol officers, according to the Department. When asked why these employees all need
access to the Flock system, an RPD spokesperson said “Having an active account means
an employee can get into the system right away if something urgent happens,
without needing to request access first.”
Chief Rico Boyce has so far not agreed to an interview with
WRAL on this issue.
