What are ALPRs?
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs or LPRs) are cameras that capture and use AI to analyze images of vehicles, storing details like the car's location as well as the date and time the car was detected. These cameras also gather information such as the car's make, model, color, along with any other identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers. Using this information, services create a searchable database that keeps track of these vehicles and can determine where they've been.
What is Flock?
- Flock Group Inc. or Flock Safety is a private company that manufactures and operates security hardware and software. Specifically, Flock manufactures ALPRs, video surveillance, and gunfire locator systems.
- Founded in 2017, Flock claims to operate in more than 5,000 communities across 49 U.S. states.
Why is it a problem?
- Flock Safety devices have been shown to be insecure and accessible by anyone.
- ALPRs, like those made by Flock, violate the 4th Amendment by indiscriminantly monitoring thousands of individuals suspected of no crime and with no warrant.
- Law enforcement have acted on faulty reports from ALPRs resulting in arrests at gunpoint of innocent citizens.
- Data collected by Flock systems are accessible to thousands of outside agencies
What can we do?
Several cities across the United States have already ended contracts for ALPRs. We must encourage our cities leadership to look at Flock critically and see that it is not in the interest of its citizens to have these mass surveillance technologies. Instead, the City of Ardmore should invest in other more effective crime reduction/prevention methods that do not involve infringing on the rights of it's innocent citizens.