Flock cameras have been garnering a lot of headlines recently. They are also generating a lot of controversy across the country. So exactly what is a Flock camera? Flock is a brand name for a class of surveillance equipment known as ALPRs, standing for Automated License Plate Readers, manufactured by Flock Safety. Flock seems to be the market leader in the industry, followed by Motorola.
After reading a few stories, I was pulled down into the internet rabbit hole researching the topic. The first thing I learned is that there is an uproar against the use of these cameras as an invasion of privacy and a possible Fourth Amendment constitutional violation, with dozens of stories appearing across all outlets.
Just how do ALPRs work? When you drive past one, it records your license plate number, along with information such as the time, location and characteristics of the vehicle, and stores that information in a searchable database. It makes it easy for law enforcement to track the movements of any vehicle. It’s a powerful tool for tracking those suspected of being involved in a crime. What could go wrong?
According to The Washington Post, there have been over 50 incidents in which they have been misused to stalk ex-girlfriends and others who are not suspected of committing a crime. On the other hand, they are a valuable crime-fighting tool, used most recently to find two children kidnapped by their babysitter in Georgia and locked in a storage locker.
The recent surge in reporting on the topic is probably not an accident. My internet not-so-deep dive led me to a website called deflock.org, dedicated to banning the use of these cameras. Among other things, the organization has called for this week to be a national week of action to support its cause, which may explain the uptick in coverage. The PR firms for the camera manufacturers seem to be a little late to the party.
Deflock.org has also published a crowdsourced map showing the locations of over 150,000 ALPRs. Interestingly, it reports 9 locations in my town of Bedford and many more across the area. According to a class action lawsuit recently filed against Westchester County and its Police Department, there are over 575 cameras in Westchester. Those cameras are part of an interconnected national network whose data is available to countless government entities. Suffice it to say, your trip to the corner grocery store for a carton of milk is well tracked. Smile, because you’re on Candid Camera.
Several years ago, as a Bedford Town Board member, I voted against accepting a grant that would have provided Bedford with its first ALPR just down the street from me. Along with my fellow board members, I had a fear of Big Brother and the surveillance state. A few years later, like many municipalities, Bedford, with little fanfare, hired a company to install and maintain cameras throughout town. I asked several friends if they were aware the town had installed cameras, and none were.
The libertarian in me fears the continuing encroachment of Big Brother, but I also realize this is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the surveillance state. Countless companies track your every move because of the cell phone in your pocket or purse. With little regulation, that information is sold to companies who after your money or your vote. We’ve come to accept that. Are LPRs much different? Surveillance is the current reality. The only way to avoid it is to stay home.
So, is the answer to ban these cameras outright? Tangle News published a survey showing that 25% oppose the cameras completely, but only 5% support them as they are currently used. The rest, 69%, support cameras with restrictions. I think the Tangle News respondents probably have it right. It’s important to keep this valuable crime-fighting tool in place with guardrails. First, local government needs to be more transparent about its surveillance support and strategy. Second, there needs to be a clear audit trail showing every time the data is accessed by law enforcement and why to prevent abuse. Hopefully, the response to the recent uproar will be reforms that make most of us more comfortable with the technology. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.