What are Flock cameras?

Flock cameras are automated license plate readers, or ALPRs. In plain English, they are outdoor cameras built to watch vehicles that pass by, read the license plate, and turn that sighting into a searchable record that investigators can use later.

Flock’s own product pages describe the system as a way to capture license plates and vehicle characteristics such as make, model, color, time, and location. The company says the cameras are used by law enforcement, neighborhoods, businesses, and apartment communities to help generate leads and support investigations.

The important distinction is that these are not general-purpose cameras meant to watch everything happening in a scene. They are designed to turn vehicle movement into evidence. That is why supporters describe them as a public-safety tool, while critics focus on the fact that a network of these cameras can still create a powerful record of where cars go over time.