The topic of Flock Cameras or ALPR (Automatic License Plate Reader) cameras has become of increased interest to a variety of people and groups concerned about privacy. The issue is increasingly controversial.
There are reports of false identification, wrongful stops, violations of civil liberties and abuse from police and government officials as they use the Flock camera resource network to trace and locate the travel of persons of interest. To continue putting scale to the transparency effort a crowdsourcing platform has been created where you can search for the Flock cameras near you.
[Interactive Website Here]
“DeFlock is an open-source, volunteer-powered project for identifying and documenting automated license plate readers. The map is powered by OpenStreetMap. Camera locations come from volunteers and the OpenStreetMap community, not a private company or government agency.” ~ Maps.Deflock.Org
I have several out dated plates going back to the bi-centennial. Just for shirts and giggles I should plug them in from the oldest to the newest and see when I get a hit.
Reason being……. Flock is newer (2017) and if an older plate shows up, it means other pre-Flock systems are sharing their data with Flock.
Its not only an invasion of privacy, they’re used as a money grab. Masked as “Red Light” cameras is another twist. Got a notice of an ‘infraction” and a bill for $145. I watched their total BS video a saw Id done nothing wrong with a legal right hand turn after a stop on a red light. I fought it citing the fact my turn was 100% legal. It was eventually dropped by the communists in eastern Washington
The punishment is “the process” to fight them.
They were outlawed in Springfield, MO years ago. A retired highway patrolman decades ago sued the city and won
Before doing anything with such a notice, review your local laws on how traffic infractions are supposed to be served. In some jurisdictions you have to actually be served by the police and if not you may be able to just ignore the mailed notice and the alleged infraction may not even go on your record. Verify how these things work in your local area before responding to any mailed notice or paying any alleged fine. There is a great deal of variation among localities on these matters, and sometimes these are contracted services sending out notices or process servers and can be ignored. Some of the anti-Flock groups have good info on this. Verify how it works first.
Yes, I did research their local legality. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to ignore it, I legally couldn’t. My initial response was a barely legible explanation of the fact my turn was legal and cited the state traffic laws related to them. I included a copy of that section of code. The 2nd notice I received said something to the effect of a judge was reviewing my “statement of fact”. Total BS, but the 3rd notice was the “judge” found in my favor.
The people, we, need to get our own measures on the ballot. Waiting for others to do it is clearly futile. #LFG!
Can we please get a boiler plate measure that can be adapted to each state?
Chicago streets and expressways…one has been surveilled for many a long time…
And they STILL have extraordinarily high crime! Such an endorsement for the efficacy of these systems.
Maybe everyone ought to float Mylar balloons in front of their local cameras!
Should post with interactive map to find Home Depot for cutting tools.
Don’t forget kids, Halloween is coming up and masked costumes is the perfect wear to go along with your favorite cutting tool!
PS DeFlock has an app for your spy phone as well
Funny you say that. The closest Home Depot to me has flock cameras at both of their entrances, aiming inward.
Same here.
Curiously, there are 3 ALPR (automated license plate recognition) cameras “guarding” the entrances (they are facing inward to capture the rear Tag of incoming vehicles) for the local Lowes parking lot.
Wonder why the anti-American Nazi Globalist 4A violaters believe that the most effective placement is by the DIY / hardware / tools / appliance stores….
“Funny you say that. The closest Home Depot to me has flock cameras at both of their entrances, aiming inward.”
No cameras within a ten mile radius of my home EXCEPT the two cameras watching inbound and outbound traffic at Home Despot, and the two cameras doing the same over at Lowes.
The Brits were spray painting them awhile back….or dismantling them
The problem with doing it in Britain is that there are multitudes of standard cameras recording everything else. Can’t step outside your door without a full route being stored for future reference. They catch those vigilantes quickly.
A guy in St. Petersburg, Florida has a group of people who have a long pole with a metal square on top. He sits under the Flock and holds the square pack in front of the Flock so all it sees is the metal. Perfectly legal because he does not damage the Flock.
Another serious problem is misuse. There have been cops resigning due to using the Flock for personal use against someone like an ex, co-worker etc…. In Dunwoody, Georgia they have Flocks in schools and there was a situation where a Flock employee accessed the Flock camera that was in the gym of an elementary school.
The use of Flock cameras presumes guilty and have to prove innocence. Total reverse of our legal system. Flock use violates the 4th amendment at a minimum.
Arkansas is going that direction, they passed a law requiring audio recorders to be in schools in 2027. Flock’s the next step in the politicians’ latest whine ” it’s for your safety”.
I’ll take freedom over safety anytime.
I think it was Benjamin Franklin, who said if you choose safety over freedom you’ll have neither
“Flock’s the next step in the politicians’ latest whine ” it’s for your safety”.
“But, but it’s for the children!……..” Yup. We’ve heard that line before.
If ever there is a camera pointed at a child, that child’s parents should be the only ones in control of that camera.
Physical approach to these things seems rather crude and a good way to get caught especially when there are other approaches to a sensitive optical device.
Please note my comment is a comment for stimulating general discussion and not a recommendation for any action.
Leave your phone at home when doing the Lords Work.
Closest cameras are just a mile or so from my house. Never noticed them.
October 31st / Halloween there will be millions of people out after dark wearing masks.
Curious….
Of the three cameras in the town that I live in, all three are at Lowes.
Looking at the town I just moved from, all four are at Home Depot.
Must be some kind of hardware conspiracy.
There is one in my city. Watching one of the entrances to the Lowes parking lot.
There were two when I checked about a month ago. It was watching the other entrance.
I wonder if it fell over, or something.
Of the 6 within a mile, 4 are @Home Depot.
The others @ major intersections.
Interesting: both Lowes near my home have camera pointing to their lot. One has 3 one pointing to back of the building.
Lowes has a right to keep an eye on their own property. They must have a drive away theft problem.
That’s where the day workers (illegals) congregate every morning waiting for contractors to pick them up for day-labor. Or if you need some work done around the house go pick one up.
The chinese gift card theft ring was heavy at places that deal with Gift cards, home depots, Walmarts, any big retailer….. That’s also the place where they get the most people shopping.
The only way to address this is with financial pressure. Contact the managers of these stores and make them understand that you will not shop there, so long as you are being spied upon. It’s bad enough that they now have cameras at their check out registers. Sure, they always had cameras in the ceiling, but now the cameras are literally in your face. I no longer shop at these locations, either!
AND, … get your neighbors on board with this, as well!!!
Are the cameras at Home Depot capturing images of Illegal Aliens ?
: )
Same here. Most are clustered around Lowes, HD, Publix… there are enough social media videos that show them posted in/near residential areas. Of course they are going to be abused by those who have access to them. Those are just the officials who get caught.
There was a case in Hillsborough County where the system misread a 7 for a 1… 7-8 units stopped a father with his epileptic teenage daughter… the lights, sirens, firearms pointed at them, yelling conflicting commands: “face forward” “turn around” “hands up” “don’t move” etc etc etc. They did not care it was the wrong car. Body cam caught some of them laughing about it.
There are a couple pointed at the Lowes parking lot in my town too. Larger town, we have about 30 flockin’ flock cameras.
It is stuff like this that causes people to oppose data centers. We are being routinely spied on and the IMMENSE amount of data used to track us is being stored in the data centers. THAT is my opposition to the data centers
Trump’s a big fan – why? Seriously. To beat China? Why?
“Repugnant to the Constitution”.
Repugnant to my own physical constitution,as well. 🤮
Fast becoming….???
Already there.
Do we need anymore evidence that we are in a abusive domestic relationship with TPTB?
” abuse from police and government officials as they use the Flock camera resource network to trace and locate the travel of persons of interest. “
Our police love them for stalking exes.
Enter license plate # – have I been flocked. Com
Does entering your license plate # at have I been flocked. Com automatically enter it into their database?
They say no. They store nothing but the public data that’s being searched.
A little thin black electrical tape might be used to modify ones numbers… depending on the license plate design one has. No wonder they’re pushing the BLACK background with WHITE numbers – but white tape could be found too…
Maybe do a bit of mud running and neglect to go to the car wash?
That’s when your license plate number turns into my actual number and I get arrested for something I didn’t do.
a flock detector alert mobile app would be nice if you dont mind using your transponder (mobile device) for that purpose. I assume these cameras are not detected the same way as a red light camera alert.
Send a note to Waze. Maybe they can incorporate. They already give you notice of red light cameras and speed cameras.
One of these flock sites has a map showing flock data pull requests by law enforcement agencies. Pretty sure it was Deflock but they have changed the website significantly since I last poked my nose in there.
Flock cameras can also monitor pedestrians. Where I lived a flock camera would record me (based on a camera flash activating) jay walking across the street at midnight. No cars anywhere in sight.
According to chat: A tool called “FreeForm” allegedly allows law enforcement to search footage based on human characteristics such as clothing, tattoos, or race.
I know they are all over the place. I try to avoid most of them but sometimes can’t. The 4th amendment has been shredded. Maybe take this up to the USSC.
If I want to get to the mainland I have two bridges to choose from, and they have a combined eight Flocks.
They get around the 4A by claiming a) the road systems are public and there is no expectation of privacy while on them and b) Flock and the other spy cam companies are private businesses.
A point of note is that b) is the same argument used by law enforcement agencies when it comes to genetic databases maintained by companies such as Ancestry and 23andMe. And don’t assume that just because you haven’t submitted a genetic sample that you’re not in such a database. Advances in technology have made your non-participation moot.
Two bridges have eight cameras? Two cameras would be sufficient, one pointing in each direction. Its not like someone driving onto the bridge won’t come out the other side.
Two on each end pointing in each direction.
It will be interesting to see how long this resistance movement lasts before being impacted by denial of service for the maps and data apps …. either physically or via the use of a costly permit process.
That will be one more use for the data centers. Easy AI-controlled denial of service. They’ll just send a command and let it work.
Zayed in Chicago will start filing lawsuits…but only for Muslims.
Why, what a great idea! These jihadi logistical hubs SHOULD all be flocked!
Still think it’s rich that the CEO’s last name is Langley…too funny.
💥💯💯💯💯👍👍👍👍🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
I like the way you think, brother! 🙂
Can they see inside burkhas?
I checked last week and my town (just north of the NC capital) is loading up on them. But that just figures, because the police department has been loaded with terrorists for the past 10-15 years.
You can “report” a flock camera on the WAZE app so other drivers can be alerted ahead of time.
I used to think it might be bad form to alert other drivers of police whereabouts, but I have since come to appreciate that information – because it can slow other drivers down and prevent other drivers from incurring costly $200+ tickets – so to me – that’s a win/win.
I find FLOCK cameras unconstitutional and symbolic of a forced police state – so I would be most happy if someone like Anonymous would hack the heck out of that system and shut them down.
Don’t tell me that if “you’re not breaking the law then you don’t care who sees you” – that is a totally weak argument. Fact is – none of us should feel like Big Brother is watching – we didn’t agree to this.
Let our localities fix the pot holes in the road before going in hook, line, and sinker with their camera surveillance. Now our highway system in Indiana – specifically I-465 that surrounds Indianapolis has signs everywhere that speed is now monitored by camera and the maximum fine is $200 per occurrence. The penalty is levied if the driver is going over 11 mph over the speed limit. How many cars are doing that? Every. single. one. of. them.
In one year, at the I-465 / I-69 interchange alone – the State issues 277,000 tickets using flock cameras. On I-465 surrounding Indianapolis – there is about 125,000 vehicles traveling it every day.
Do we really think that this five year “pilot” program is going to be rescinded? Absolutely not. It will be EXPANDED.
Wonder if the road conditions will get any better? Doubt it.
We grow more than corn in Indiana – we grow dirty politicians.
None out where I live, yet. Once I get on the freeway there’s some and I’m not shocked.
These systems look for unique identification marks such as bumper stickers, roof racks, dents, scratches, etc.
There is a fortune to be made is selling things like temporary stickers, decals, fake scratches, and other things will interfere with building your vehicle’s unique “fingerprint.”
My dad was against bumper stickers, about 55 years ago….he said it could be an identifier for your car…I thinhk he meant bad guys who would follow you…how prescient of him!
Same reason why I’ve never had bumper stickers on the cars and my license plate is a run of the mill randomly assigned one (not vanity).
Really don’t need a map…they are everywhere. Intersections, borders of every City, County, State, Village, Township, school & park districts. At bus tops, marina, airports, train stations, toll booths, parking lots. Already on every police car on the road. There is a proposal to link all LYFT and UBER phone data to the FLOCK system. All this information on your every move will be stored on the Data Centers now under construction.
Flock announces changes amid backlash over its license plate reader network
By SARAH RANKIN and CLAUDIA LAUER
Updated 3:00 PM PDT, August 13, 2026
(I am not interested in anything they do, or wish to “revise” -D_I)
https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/flock.webp
“…CEO says changes will drive accountability
In an interview, Flock CEO Garrett Langley said many of the product changes will make what were once optional guardrails mandatory for its users to implement by Jan. 1…”
https://www.oann.com/tech/flock-announces-changes-amid-backlash-over-its-license-plate-reader-network/
“All law enforcement customers will have to implement an audit tool that’s intended to flag abnormal search behavior. When the system detects abnormal behavior, the user would be locked out pending an internal review,…”
“Law enforcement users will now also be required to enter a code from their records management system tying each search to a specific case before it is run…”
How many PDs are going to get rid of the cameras now?
And who is going to monitor all this? The PDs or the company? It’s the fox watching the henhouse.
Great question and it should be answered before using them.
“Trust us Bro”..
Sure, kinda like the FISA searches.
Zero.
They didn’t say what their other “customers” are required to do to search the network.
THAT’S a bunch of crap. Trust me, as in “trust me”???
Yes, corporate “spin” in a feeble attempt at “damage control”.
Don’t really care how it’s spinned … IT’SAGAINST THE CONTSTITUTION!
Are we angry enough yet?
Can only hope people are seeing what is slow walked right in front of their faces.
STOP JUSTIFYING THEM!!
Pretty soon – there will be laws to keep our vehicles clean. I bet those readers don’t do well with muddied up license plates. Wonder how the image does with something rubbed on the plate?
They’ve long had those laws, since April 20, 1961 here in MN:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/169.79
Specifically to make sure the plate is legible.
I’d like to paint the car in the paint that changes color depending on angle viewed.
DMV: What color is the car?
Me: Depends…
“This might be the best case to ban all ALPR Cameras after flock cameras just ruined an innocent Florida woman’s life.
Cops used one ALPR hit to pin a triple-fatal hit-and-run on 23-year-old Lindsey Isaacs. Seized her undamaged black Durango, claimed “damage,” then arrested her 6 months later after she sued to get it back.
She sat in jail 13 days facing life in prison.
They ignored the maroon paint transfer, the partial plate that didn’t match, the airbag that never deployed, and witnesses. Just took the first Durango Flock flagged.
7 months of hell. Charges finally dropped when they got the actual driver.”
https://x.com/KaceeRAllen/status/2089201199023075402
Or they guy that was not in the town that alleged a violation with a flock camera…he was like, 300 miles or more away…could prove it with receipts etc.
Love me some South Dakota highway legal limits … 80!
Come home to a 65mph limit road, must pay attention else ole Bessie wants to let loose again.
Just 4 within 4 miles of me
How about constructing some poles with stickers like those “Biden did this” stickers and covering up those spying cameras?
If someone comes up with this, I’ll buy one with a good supply of stickers.
🫡
“Florida man just casually walked away with a full Flock surveillance camera… still bolted to a 12-foot pole… while draped in the American flag 🇺🇸”
https://x.com/TrueOnX/status/2089039741031248326
https://x.com/spikesguides/status/2089144853288395099
Sundance, read this thread. It explains flock stuff really well.
Note: these are not just license plate readers. They are evolving to add capabilities to scan your tire pressure sensor ids, your cell phone bluetooth id, your earbud bluetooth signals, etc.
They intend to track your every movement – not just find a car.
I’m waiting for some sort of “event” that was “stopped” by using flock cameras so they can push the false security angle on the sheep!!!
The interactive map is not accurate. Local PD installed one at the bottom of my street 6 months ago that is not on the map….just sayin.
Someone has to actually report it for it to be known. It’s not like Flock is reporting themselves.
Destroy or disable a Flock camera; great way to create a criminal record for oneself. Don’t do it.
Yeah.
Don’t throw that tea overboard, either…
i have several flock cameras in our community in South Central Texas. It’s complete BS. Gathering data on private citizens for no reason is a violation of the 4th Amendment, i do not agree with Federal judges who also think it fine to abuse the FISA, warrant system, and say it’s fine to capture the data. At every turn there is no accountability, no rules to access the data, and why would you need a secondary data source when our phones are tracked.
The violation of more than 50 police officers stalking ex partners, pulling over the wrong people, 1.9 million payout. We should not trust the government with our data, period. Law enforcement & Federal Agencies have rules to follow in the event one of us commits a crime. Surveilling all of us is not their jobs.
I have been posting about this for some time now!
I quit because it seemed no one here gave a heck.
I’m glad peoples are waking up.
Flock Camera Mistake Gets Woman Pulled Over Twice by Officers With Guns Drawn
August 11, 2026
By Nicholas Tan
A woman says she feels “traumatized” after officers pulled her over two times in the same week due to a Flock camera error. Last week, we reported that multiple police cars from Brookfield had stopped a silver SUV, halting traffic on I-94, and drew guns on the driver, who got out of the car and put her arms up, but later realized that her car was flagged by mistake. Now the woman is speaking out and wants police to provide an explanation and issue an apology.
Police insists this isn’t
There is no way I can or will communicate on Treehouse threads everything that I’m “awake” about.
There’s even a camera at the intersection of two highways in northern WI. It’s kind of in the middle of nowhere. They are tracking and logging all of us, everywhere, it seems.
want to know if you’ve been flocked, http://www.haveibeenflocked.com
many utah cities apparently use genetec, just as bad as flock, they r installed on DOT and city poles…. violation of our privacy
wake up citizens…
When you buy cutting tools…
scope out camera dead zones before you shophave a friend drop you offwear commonplace clothes: jeans, solid color Tbilled cap, dark glassesPAY CASHtransfer purchase from store bag to different looking tote in dead zonehave a different friend pick you up (or same friend w/different vehicle)
Be safe out there!
Huh. Comment formatting disappeared, so did edit function. Retry with simpler layout:
When you buy cutting tools…
scope out camera dead zones before you shop
have a friend drop you off
wear commonplace clothes: jeans, solid color T
billed cap, dark glasses
PAY CASH
transfer purchase from store bag to different looking tote in dead zone
have a different friend pick you up (or same friend w/different vehicle)
Be safe out there!
Do you remember what date it was when you became a terrorist and had to start planning like one?
When idiots like you started showing up. That was the date.
I don’t recall the exact date, but it was in May of 1964. Lots of planning, but no execution yet.
No moving violations for 18 years, which just happens to be when I moved from Denver-Metro to Arkansas. You gotta love poor counties that don’t have money to waste on such BS.
Funny how the two
purplered states that boast the loudest about their conservatism (looking at you, FL and TX) are well-represented. Especially Meatball’s home state.How could one best use a 2.25W Class IV blue laser to mess with a flock (or other surveillance) camera’s CCD? Asking for a friend.
Lenses have angles of refraction. Might be an interesting experiment to see how shallow of an angle one can get with a laser in the 400nm-500nm range and still tag the CCD within a digital camera.
Thinking there’s a ratio of aperture size to lens curvature that would make it vulnerable to having a sufficiently powered laser to burn out elements in the CCD. Not an endorsement to test the theory on equipment one does not own however. Make of that what you will.
Also going lower than about 400nm would put a laser into the ultraviolet, just outside the visible spectrum.
Flock has a problem they own all the data and are making so much money with it they are now handing out camera’s for free. I smell little hat people and the nsa
“Person of Interest”
Make sure to smile when you walk into a store. Most stores now keep your facial identification. If you steal anything you are tagged and other stores in that chain get the info too.
Otherwise if you are a law abiding shopper you will get coupons depending on where you spend the most time. I recommend staying in the ice cream section.
“Keep on smilin’, ’cause when you’re smilin’
The whole world smiles with you“
My wife is currently arguing with Delaware about our license plate being identified blowing through a toll. The picture clearly shows a plate number different than our plate but the “reader” that interprets the picture read it wrong. PLus we have been no where near Delaware for many years.
I got one of those a couple years ago. Wasn’t even a close match on car type, not my vanity plate, & I definitely wasn’t in Miami. I appealed it by pointing this out & it went away.
I checked a small town that I am familiar with and there is no way to drive into or out of the town without hitting a flock. This is a rural very conservative town.
I see flocks along very rural interstate routes and they seem positioned to limit the ability to avoid them, just not many alternatives. Again, this is in deep red country.
Remember “stay home for two weeks to slow the spread” and now put the flock camera’s in context with that kind of event.
Again, this is in deep red country.
Of course it’s in conservative country. Why would the fascists bother to spy on their own areas? The cameras are a “non-government” operation. You know, a Company.
Not trying to justify the Flock cameras, but if you’re holding an iPhone or Android phone, etc , TPTB are already in your house and everywhere you go.
Does the DSA support Flock being used by law enforcement? Where is the GOP on this issue? What is Pres Trump’s view?
Inquiring minds want know.
Excellent questions that should have been asked yesterday.