Flock camera apparently removed at Columbia’s Cosmo Park

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Flock camera that had surveilled an area of Parkside Drive in Cosmo Park has apparently been removed.

The pole where the camera was located appeared to be sheared off near ground level when seen Friday. It wasn't clear when the pole came down.

Flock cameras are automatic license plate readers that collect data as vehicles drive by. They are designed to help law enforcement find evidence in investigations without compromising safety, according to the FlockSafety website.

Local police and sheriff's deputies use the data from the camera system extensively. The Columbia Police Department said Friday that the cameras helped them find two burglary and carjacking suspects.

Based on Google Street View, which was last updated in April 2026, a Flock camera was located at the end of the roundabout on Parkside Drive, and now all that's left is a small part of the pole.

On the DeFlock website, which shows the locations of every Flock camera installed in the United States, pinpoints an ALPR Camera in the same spot.

A CPD spokesperson declined to confirm the location of any Flock cameras that have been cut down, but confirmed it has happened multiple times.

"We are still investigating the vandalism cases of the Flock cameras that have been cut down," Colin Imhoff wrote in an email response to questions.

Boone County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Buchanan said her office has not received any referrals related to damage to Flock cameras.

Buchanan explained that if a suspect was charged with tampering with or damaging a Flock camera, the charges would most likely be property damage. She said the class or offense would depend on the value of the property and could potentially reach an E felony charge if the value exceeds $750.

The maximum punishment for such a felony is four years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

This isn't the first Flock camera that has been taken down in Columbia.

Another camera that used to be at Scott Boulevard and the MKT Trail is now also down to just the base of the pole.