More than 120,000 controversial Flock cameras have been installed across all states, with several thousand in Florida. But how do you know if law enforcement has searched for you?
ALPR cameras are not new; Florida cities have used red-light and speeding cameras for years. However, the Flock Safety-operated cameras use artificial intelligence to capture specific details, such as license plates, make, model, color, and unique features.
Recently, the company announced new security and privacy safeguards after backlash over abuse of power and privacy concerns. In an interview with USA TODAY, CEO Garrett Langley said Flock Safety is taking a stand against police abuse of power and for the privacy that everyday citizens expect. “You will get caught,” Langley said in a message to law enforcement seeking to use Flock for personal gain.
Check to see if your license plate has been searched on Flock cameras
Have I Been Flocked is a website that lets users check whether their license plate appears in law enforcement audit logs obtained through public records requests.
According to the website, the searchable data comes from Flock Transparency Portals and public records requests submitted by Have I Been Flocked volunteers. Anyone can also submit public records requests with information about automated license plate readers to the website.
How to find Flock cameras in your neighborhood
The company does not provide a map of its camera placements, but volunteer-powered maps such as DeFlock and Eyes on Flock track sightings of Flock cameras, as well as ALPR systems from Motorola Solutions, Axis Communications, and others.
See map of Flock cameras around Florida
What do Flock cameras actually record?
Flock cameras are always recording while their software collects information such as:
Flock’s software can trigger real-time alerts when a description matches a wanted vehicle. It also uses artificial intelligence to add a description of each vehicle to a database that can be searched with natural language and incomplete descriptions, such as “man in blue shirt and cowboy hat” or “dark SUV with rear bumper damage,” according to the company website.
Flock Safety says the camera does not capture personal information, facial recognition, or anything tied to individuals. Local jurisdictions may choose to share the data with the national database.
They also state the images and footage recorded are usually deleted automatically after a set period. Flock Safety now suggests retaining data for seven days instead of the initial 30, except for cases that need more time under the new “Evidence Mode,” when a search is tied to an ongoing case number. This new limit is voluntary and will not affect contracts with law enforcement agencies already in force.
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, theme parks, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Have I been flocked in Florida? See if your license plate was recorded
Reporting by Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
