License Plate Readers

Steve Dolunt, who was a Detroit Police Assistant Chief, is voicing concerns regarding the misuse of surveillance equipment by police officers nationwide. He is specifically critiquing the increasing number of accusations concerning both Flock Safety cameras and general license plate readers.

Mooresville police officer Elizabeth Snowman is accused of using Flock Safety cameras 31 times to track her boyfriend’s ex-wife, including two off-duty instances. She was arrested and charged with computer access violations, with authorities investigating 10 additional Flock Camera-related cases involving officers.

Roseville, California's use of Flock Safety's AI-powered license plate readers since 2021 has resulted in a 71% error rate in alerts flagging vehicles as stolen or linked to felonies. Police found Flock's software frequently misread license plate characters, such as confusing '9' with '8', leading to repeated false alarms.

Jenay Dominique Burns, a Florida woman wanted on kidnapping and probation revocation charges, was arrested in Alabama using drones and license plate readers. Police located her red Nissan Rogue with a Florida license plate, leading to her custody and the recovery of an endangered child under 10. The child is now with the Department of Human Resources, while Burns awaits extradition to Florida.

A 1-year-old girl abducted by her non-custodial mother was found safe in Georgia after a multi-agency search involving license plate readers and public collaboration. The search began when the mother fled a Franklin County courthouse, prompting an AMBER Alert before the child was recovered.

The debate over license plate readers (LPRs) in Nashville continues as Metro police arrested a hit-and-run driver using a private LPR. The incident highlights ongoing discussions about the use of such technology in law enforcement.

The Nashville Community Review Board reviewed the Metro Nashville Police Department's drone program, which uses three drones for emergency response within a two-mile radius of the Madison precinct. The drones, equipped with thermal cameras and capable of reading license plates from 800 feet, are prohibited from using weapons or facial recognition. While the program has aided in recent arrests, community advocates have raised privacy and transparency concerns.

A lawsuit alleges the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) illegally recorded protesters and observers of immigration enforcement actions during the Trump administration, violating privacy laws, administrative procedures, and the First Amendment. The suit claims DHS used facial recognition and license plate readers to intimidate individuals, including incidents in Minneapolis where two people were killed, and revoked trusted traveler program statuses as retaliation.

Mt. Juliet police arrested 342 wanted individuals in the first six months of 2026, with 88% being non-residents. The department attributes these arrests to proactive patrols, technology like license plate readers, and community support, which have also contributed to significant drops in theft-related crimes.

Three Flock Safety surveillance cameras in Pageland, S.C., were vandalized and damaged, prompting police to seek public assistance in identifying the perpetrators. The cameras, used for crime-solving efforts including license plate tracking, were part of a $3,000 each purchase of 10 units by the town. Flock Safety condemned the vandalism, emphasizing the system's role in public safety and ongoing national privacy debates.

Police in Pageland are investigating the cutting down of two Flock safety cameras used to locate stolen cars and wanted suspects. Concerns about privacy related to Flock cameras have been raised, with the company stating their license plate readers only capture still images deleted after 30 days and activate video networks only after specific calls for help.

Apple's Hide My Email service has failed to protect users' email addresses. The article also highlights the extradition of an alleged Scattered Spider hacking group member, widespread errors in license plate readers, and Indian officials' concerns over WhatsApp's new username feature.

The Round Rock Police Department recovered a stolen vehicle within minutes of receiving the report using license plate readers. The quick recovery highlights the effectiveness of the department's technology in addressing theft.

Flock Safety claims its cameras do not track people, but its training videos demonstrate police using the system to track suspects across multiple locations. Security researcher Benn Jordan and app DeFlock founder Will Freeman highlight that Flock's Condor cameras use AI to follow individuals, and police can access 30 days of vehicle movement data without a warrant.

Flock Safety claims its surveillance cameras do not track people, but its training videos show police using the system to track suspects across locations. The company's Condor cameras use AI to follow pedestrians, and its license plate readers enable warrantless tracking of vehicles for 30 days. Security researcher Benn Jordan and app developer Will Freeman have highlighted the invasive capabilities of Flock's network.

Civil rights groups have sued on behalf of New York residents to stop Westchester County from using nearly 600 license plate readers installed around the county. The lawsuit challenges the use of automated license plate scanning technology.

A bipartisan ALPR amendment aimed at blocking police use of license plate readers (LPR), including Flock, was killed. The legislation's failure means existing restrictions on police LPR access remain unchanged.

The FBI is seeking 'near real-time' access to license plate reader data collected by law enforcement agencies across the United States, raising concerns about privacy and surveillance. The request highlights tensions between law enforcement needs and civil liberties advocates.

Police have used license plate readers at least 14 times in recent years to track romantic interests, raising privacy concerns. The practice highlights misuse of surveillance technology by law enforcement for personal stalking.

A 17-year-old, Markel Lee, is accused of murder in a Louisiana mall shooting that killed a high school senior and injured five others. He was arrested after his grandmother, who gave him a ride from the scene, identified him in surveillance footage shown by police.