Politics

Flock surveillance cameras face growing bipartisan scrutiny in midterm campaigns

Candidates across the political spectrum are proposing bans and restrictions on automated license plate readers amid privacy concerns.

Updated Sep 4, 2026 · 05:18 UTC3 reports

The short version

Political candidates from both major parties across multiple states are targeting Flock Safety surveillance cameras ahead of midterm elections.
Proposals range from statewide bans and installation pauses to funding freezes and warrant requirements, driven by privacy and mass surveillance concerns.
Flock Safety and law enforcement groups defend the automated license plate readers as vital public safety tools responsible for solving numerous crimes.
The federal stance remains pending as President Donald Trump indicated his administration is currently reviewing the issue.

Flock Safety's AI-enabled camera network operates in approximately 6,000 communities across every U.S. state except Alaska, recording vehicle details and license plates for police search and sharing.[Associated Press · ABC News · ABC News]
Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and his Republican challenger Stacy Garrity both expressed support for banning the surveillance cameras statewide.[Associated Press · ABC News · ABC News]
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee paused new camera deployments before his primary, while the administration of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered automated license plate readers removed from state highway rights-of-way.[Associated Press · ABC News · ABC News]
Flock Safety stated that its system has assisted in resolving roughly one million crimes and locating approximately 10,000 missing individuals.[Associated Press · ABC News · ABC News]
Law enforcement advocates, including the president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, warned that eliminating the cameras is a mistake and urged focusing on accountability guidelines instead.[Associated Press · ABC News · ABC News]

What formal policy or regulatory posture the federal administration will adopt remains unknown following President Trump's remarks that the issue is under study.[Associated Press · ABC News · ABC News]
The legal and constitutional boundaries regarding whether extensive automated plate reader networks constitute warrantless mass surveillance remain subject to ongoing court challenges.[Associated Press · ABC News · ABC News]