Binghamton University will replace its Flock Safety automatic license plate reader system with an Axon platform during the fall 2026 semester. The university says the transition will change how campus vehicle data is stored, controlled and accessed while keeping license plate readers in use at campus entrances.
The cameras capture vehicle images and plate numbers, but the university says they do not identify people or collect facial-recognition data. The system is intended for campus safety and law-enforcement purposes, including investigations involving stolen vehicles, missing or endangered people, threats and other documented public-safety concerns. University policy prohibits personal use, immigration enforcement, routine traffic enforcement and other unauthorized searches.
Under the Axon system, Binghamton University says it will own and control its license plate data in an independent cloud environment isolated from outside jurisdictions. Federal agencies and other outside agencies will not have direct access. Any information shared for a legitimate law-enforcement request must go through University Police processes, and permission-based access is intended to remain limited and auditable.
The university also plans to shorten its standard retention period from 30 days to 21 days. Information connected to an active criminal investigation may be kept longer when required under New York records rules. Searches will be limited to trained University Police command staff and investigators, with each search requiring a case number or documented law-enforcement reason. The university says Internal Audit will review access and use annually.
Binghamton University installed license plate readers at campus entrances in 2023 after consulting faculty, staff, student government and union leaders. The university says eight fixed cameras cover primary entrances and exits, with six in Johnson City and two in downtown Binghamton. The new platform is expected to retain that public-safety function while adding tighter local control of the collected data.
