The Illusion of Safety: Why We Must Rein in Flock Cameras and ALPRs

What began as a promising public safety tool has quietly metastasized into an unchecked dragnet of mass surveillance. Across the nation, over 120,000 Flock cameras and Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) actively track the movements of everyday citizens. Far from targeting dangerous criminals, this technology builds a searchable map of where innocent people work, worship, and seek medical care.

Proponents routinely rely on classic "law and order" arguments, promising that total visibility deters crime and keeps communities safe. But this framing by the companies that sell these cameras and “law and order” legislators who push for them is flawed. True law enforcement relies on investigating actual crimes and established probable cause, not dragnet surveillance that transforms every innocent driver into a perpetual suspect. Sacrificing constitutional liberties for an illusion of security does not bring order; it breeds authoritarian overreach.

The alarming reality is that ALPR networks actively invite abuse. A recent USA TODAY investigation revealed a toxic pattern of law enforcement officers using Flock data for personal, criminal stalking. In Texas, an officer was indicted on over 100 felonies after searching for an ex-girlfriend’s plate more than 10,000 times. Similar abuses in Georgia and Florida highlight a systemic breakdown in accountability.

But they weren't caught by their police departments. They were identified by USA TODAY reporters. Internal safeguards are virtually non-existent: it took journalist, not police supervisors, to catch these stalkers.

Lawmakers across the political spectrum are introducing critical guardrails, from strict warrant requirements and data retention limits to total bans on suspicionless tracking. We must urge our leaders to pass comprehensive ALPR regulations. Real safety never requires sacrificing basic privacy.