Rochester Police Address Public Concerns Over New Technologies

Department demonstrates drone use and discusses data privacy safeguards at town hall meeting.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Rochester Police Chief Jim Franklin and other department officials held a public town hall to showcase new technologies used by the department, including drones and security cameras, and address concerns from residents about potential misuse and privacy issues. The officials discussed the department's policies around the use of these tools and the safeguards in place to prevent abuse of the data collected.

Why it matters

As police departments across the country adopt new surveillance technologies, there are growing concerns from the public about how this data could be misused, shared with federal agencies, or lead to intrusive monitoring of citizens. This town hall provided an opportunity for the Rochester Police Department to be transparent about their use of these technologies and assure the community that they have measures in place to protect privacy and civil liberties.

The details

The town hall featured demonstrations of the department's drone program, which is limited by state law to only be used in specific public safety situations. Officials also discussed the city's network of 850 security cameras, which store footage for 30 days before being deleted, and the use of automatic license plate readers, which retain data for 60 days. The department emphasized that this data is not shared with federal agencies without a warrant, and that facial recognition and tracking software are not used. Residents raised concerns about potential misuse and the possibility of the data being accessed by immigration enforcement, which the police chief acknowledged but said the department is committed to using the technologies in alignment with community expectations.

  • The town hall was held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
  • The Rochester Police Department has been using drones since 2017, with the program overseen by Detective Alex Kendrick since 2018.

The players

Jim Franklin

Chief of the Rochester Police Department.

Alex Kendrick

Detective in charge of the Rochester Police Department's drone program since 2018.

Paul Gronholz

Captain with the Rochester Police Department.

Brian Paulson

Resident who asked about potential misuse of automatic license plate readers.

Susie Concilio

Resident who expressed concerns about data sharing with federal immigration enforcement agencies.

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What they’re saying

“We're here to make sure we're using technology in alignment with your expectations.”

— Jim Franklin, Chief, Rochester Police Department (postbulletin.com)

“We're just as concerned as anyone else about privacy.”

— Alex Kendrick, Detective, Rochester Police Department (postbulletin.com)

“I'm sympathetic to the good uses of the technology, but considering the climate in the state right now, I want more assurances that ICE won't have access to the local data and tools.”

— Susie Concilio (postbulletin.com)

What’s next

The Rochester Police Department plans to hold more frequent public town halls to discuss new technologies and address community concerns.

The takeaway

This town hall demonstrates the need for police departments to be transparent and accountable to the public when adopting new surveillance technologies. By engaging the community and addressing privacy concerns, the Rochester Police Department is working to build trust and ensure these tools are used responsibly to enhance public safety.