Explore

The Commercial Appeal

Flock cameras are in Memphis. See where, if your plate has been searched

Flock cameras are in Memphis. See where, if your plate has been searched

Flock says it has 120,000 cameras in 49 states, including about 1,000 in Memphis. Most are in Downtown, Midtown and East Memphis.

Flock Safety Implements New Policies to Address ALPR Data Privacy and Misuse Concerns

Flock Safety Implements New Policies to Address ALPR Data Privacy and Misuse Concerns

Flock Safety, a prominent provider of automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, has announced several new policies aimed at addressing growing concerns regarding data privacy and potential misuse by law enforcement agencies. These updates include a change to the default data retention period from 30 days to seven days, a new 'Evidence Mode' feature allowing investigators to retain specific ALPR data for active investigations beyond the standard retention period, and mandatory implementation of its 'Audit Assistance' feature for all law enforcement customers by the end of 2026. Additionally, case codes will be required for all law enforcement searches by year-end, and the company is encouraging customers to publish Transparency Portals. These changes come in response to increased scrutiny and documented instances of ALPR misuse, including officers tracking romantic partners or exes, as highlighted by investigations and cases in South Carolina. Local agencies in the Tri-County area of South Carolina ...

Rhode Island Governor Imposes Moratorium on Flock Camera Installation Amid Privacy Concerns

Rhode Island Governor Imposes Moratorium on Flock Camera Installation Amid Privacy Concerns

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has ordered a statewide moratorium on the installation and activation of new automated license plate reader cameras, such as those from Flock Safety. This decision comes in response to growing privacy concerns regarding nationwide mass surveillance and potential misuse of data by law enforcement agencies. The governor's order prohibits the state police from installing new cameras for two months and urges cities and towns to follow suit. During this 60-day period, a review of the technology's use will be conducted to establish uniform statewide standards for the cameras and the data they collect. While new installations are paused, existing Flock cameras operated by the Rhode Island State Police may continue to function. The Department of Public Safety, Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, and the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns will collaborate to formulate new guidelines, with the ultimate goal of advancing new legislation in January 2027 to codify more protecti...

Menasha Police Officer Sentenced for Misusing Flock License Plate Readers

Menasha Police Officer Sentenced for Misusing Flock License Plate Readers

Menasha police officer Cristian Morales, 32, has been sentenced to six months in jail followed by three years of probation after pleading no contest to misusing Flock license plate reader cameras. Morales conducted seven off-duty searches using Flock's nationwide network of cameras, accessing between 15,234 and 92,702 individual cameras. The AI-powered cameras continuously photograph vehicles and license plates, cataloging them in a searchable database for law enforcement. Morales used the system to track a vehicle belonging to his ex-girlfriend, who subsequently reported her suspicions to the Appleton Police Department, initiating an investigation. When confronted, Morales attributed his actions to 'desperation, and bad judgment, combined with a lack of sleep.' The victim described a 'pattern' of controlling and violent behavior by Morales, stating she continues to suffer from anxiety. Judge Mark Schroeder characterized Morales as an 'oathbreaker' who abused his authority for personal and nefarious purpos...

Arizona Republic

Where are Flock cameras? Have my plates been run? Visit these sites

Where are Flock cameras? Have my plates been run? Visit these sites

These websites aim to inform the public about Flock data and its automatic license plate reader cameras.

Stow Police Department Terminates Contract with Flock Safety Following Officer Misconduct Allegations

Stow Police Department Terminates Contract with Flock Safety Following Officer Misconduct Allegations

The Stow Police Department (SPD) has ended its relationship with Flock Safety, a provider of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, after one of its officers, Jason Rogers, was accused of misusing the surveillance technology and other police databases. Officer Rogers was placed on unpaid leave on July 31 and faces termination proceedings and criminal charges. The allegations stem from a complaint received on June 18 from a Worcester County resident, who was known to Rogers, claiming improper access to personal information. An internal affairs investigation, lasting four weeks, found that Rogers allegedly ran vehicle information through Flock Safety multiple times for no legitimate law enforcement reason and accessed the state's criminal records database at least five times for non-law enforcement purposes, which is illegal under state law. Stow Police Chief Michael Sallese terminated the department's contract with Flock Safety as a direct result of Rogers's alleged conduct, with the last camera rem...

AI Plate-Reading Cameras Spark U.S. Privacy Concerns Amidst Montreal Police Use

AI Plate-Reading Cameras Spark U.S. Privacy Concerns Amidst Montreal Police Use

The use of artificial intelligence-equipped automated license plate reading (ALPR) cameras by Montreal police has brought renewed attention to privacy concerns, particularly in comparison to their deployment in the United States. While Montreal police are leasing Genetec Cloudrunner cameras, which do not aggregate data in a shared central database, similar Flock Safety cameras widely used in the U.S. do link license plate information to individuals' identities in a centralized, searchable database. This distinction is crucial, as the shared database model in the U.S. has generated significant public resistance and privacy concerns. Experts in AI ethics, such as Renee Sieber, a McGill University professor, highlight that the controversy stems not just from surveillance but from the ability to tie location data and patterns of life to an individual's name and residence through these shared databases. This capability raises fears about the potential for misuse, including stalking, as reportedly seen with some...

Flock Surveillance Faces Mounting Backlash and Vandalism Calls Amid Privacy Concerns and Police Misuse

Flock Surveillance Faces Mounting Backlash and Vandalism Calls Amid Privacy Concerns and Police Misuse

Flock, a surveillance technology company, is experiencing increased public backlash and calls for vandalism against its automated license plate readers (ALPRs). This surge in negative sentiment follows reports of police misuse of the system, including instances of officers allegedly stalking former partners and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents accessing local police Flock systems without dedicated contracts. The company's CEO, Garrett Langley, recently apologized for documented abuses of the system. An online campaign, dubbed 'De-Flock America,' is encouraging participants to vandalize Flock's ALPRs on Halloween 2026, with posts circulating on social media platforms. In response to the growing criticism, Flock announced several changes, including reducing its standard data retention period from 30 days to seven, introducing an 'Evidence Mode' for law enforcement to retain data for ongoing casework, and implementing controls for police agencies to restrict search types by outside forces. Add...

Calhan Police Chief Announces Permanent Removal of Flock Camera System

Calhan Police Chief Announces Permanent Removal of Flock Camera System

Calhan Police Chief Anthony Tribuzio announced via social media that the Flock camera system has been permanently removed from the town of Calhan and will not be reinstated. Furthermore, the police department confirmed that no other brand of automated license plate reader will replace the Flock camera. This decision by the Calhan Police Department follows a similar move by the Salida Police Department, which recently terminated its contract with Flock Safety and ceased using their automated license plate readers. The announcement signifies a definitive end to the use of this specific surveillance technology in Calhan.

Moore County Commissioners to Hold Public Meeting on Flock Camera Privacy Concerns

Moore County Commissioners to Hold Public Meeting on Flock Camera Privacy Concerns

Moore County commissioners are holding a special public meeting with the sheriff's office to discuss Flock cameras, which are automatic license plate readers. The meeting, scheduled for Monday at 4 p.m. in the Grand Hall of the Moore County Senior Enrichment Center in West End, was planned weeks ago due to ongoing community concerns about privacy and potential misuse of the system. The Moore County Sheriff's Office is expected to present information on the cameras and address public questions. This comes less than a week after Moore County deputies reportedly used these cameras to track Demetrius Aggelis, a suspect in a triple homicide in Pinebluff. Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based company behind the cameras, states their devices are designed to assist in locating missing persons, identifying stolen vehicles, and tracking criminal suspects. However, critics are concerned about the breadth of data searches and the oversight of officer access, especially given past accusations of two North Carolina officers u...

Website Launched to Check if License Plates Have Been Tracked by Flock Cameras Amid Privacy Concerns

Website Launched to Check if License Plates Have Been Tracked by Flock Cameras Amid Privacy Concerns

A new website, HaveIBeenFlocked.com, has been launched to allow individuals to check if their license plate information has been searched within Flock Safety's nationwide network of cameras. This initiative comes amidst growing privacy concerns regarding the use of Flock cameras by law enforcement agencies, local communities, schools, and businesses. Users can enter their license plate number into the portal to see if it has appeared in searches conducted by Flock's customers. The website clarifies that it shows what customers have searched for, not necessarily every license plate captured by the cameras. HaveIBeenFlocked.com is an independent project, financially supported by the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation, and aims to operate as a nonprofit.

Website 'Have I Been Flocked?' Allows Drivers to Check License Plate Surveillance Records

Website 'Have I Been Flocked?' Allows Drivers to Check License Plate Surveillance Records

A new website, 'Have I Been Flocked?', allows drivers to check if their license plate numbers appear in publicly released records of searches conducted through Flock Safety’s surveillance system. As of August 17, the website has compiled nearly 242 million searches involving over 4.6 million license plates. The site's database is built from Flock audit logs obtained through public records requests and transparency portals from local governments. If a license plate is found, the results may include the search date, the agency involved, the operator who conducted the search, and the stated reason for the lookup, though some information might be incomplete or redacted. The website clarifies that a match does not necessarily mean the car was stopped, or that the individual was suspected of a crime, as Flock’s technology is used by various entities beyond law enforcement, including businesses and homeowners associations.