ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — Alamogordo Town News and KALHRadio.org have introduced a new weekly segment, “The Doctor Is In,” featuring former Alamogordo City Manager Dr. Stephanie Hernandez. The series will offer insights into governance, business, nonprofit work and public policy.
In the debut episode, Hernandez, who led the effort to bring Flock license plate reader (LPR) cameras to Alamogordo, walked listeners through why the city pursued the technology, the safeguards it put in place, and the results she saw before leaving her post.
A Response to Rising Property Crime and Staffing Shortages
Hernandez said the push began in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, when property crime rose through 2022 and 2023. City staff and the City Commission received numerous complaints about stolen property, including vehicles.
At the same time, the Alamogordo Police Department was stretched thin. According to Hernandez, APD had only 37 certified officers as of July 2023.
Hernandez said she and Alamogordo Police Chief David Kunihiro had to look at long-term solutions and better tools. “That’s when we agreed to look at Flock,” she said.
After research and a series of meetings, the proposal went before the City Commission in December 2024. Representatives from Flock presented alongside Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story, who shared his department’s experience using license plate readers and real-time crime technology. Hernandez said APD was handling roughly 83 stolen vehicle cases a year at the time. The commission responded positively, and the city moved forward.
Privacy Guardrails
Hernandez said privacy was discussed at length before the system was adopted, and the city built in several limits:
• Restricted access: Only APD command staff, or personnel the police chief deemed necessary for a specific investigation, could access the system.
• Minimal data retention: The city deliberately kept retention periods as short as possible.
• No tracking of residents: “We were not creating records for citizens’ whereabouts,” Hernandez said.
• No facial recognition: The cameras capture vehicle information only.
• Lawful use: Hernandez noted the city already operated cameras at public facilities, including parks, and those systems were integrated with Flock to improve effectiveness.
“We made sure we had tight controls and spent a lot of time limiting who had access, how it could be used, and how much information would be retained,” she said.
How It Was Funded
Hernandez said she identified highly restricted funding sources that could not legally be spent on roads or infrastructure. General fund dollars were also used. She described balancing restricted and unrestricted funds as a core part of her responsibility to the public.
Acknowledging Public Concerns
Hernandez said residents’ concerns about surveillance are valid, but she urged perspective. She pointed out that people are routinely recorded by business security cameras, home doorbell cameras and cell phones, often without knowing it, and that private owners can use that footage for virtually any purpose. By contrast, she said, the city’s system operated under defined rules.
Transparency and Results
According to Hernandez, Flock came before the City Commission at least four times. APD shared information about the program on its social media pages, and the program drew local and statewide media coverage.
“I was pleased with the results at the time that I left,” Hernandez said. “It was recovering stolen vehicles and solving crimes.”
She closed the segment with a message to listeners: “Remember, representation starts with participation, so stay engaged.”
Watch the full segment: Stephanie Hernandez, The Doctor Is In – Flock Cameras
https://youtu.be/mIhtUfW-XcQ?is=6NhuBSnggbsHxapi
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