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There is a common theme across the nation when it comes to Flock cameras. Americans do not want to have something consistently looking over their shoulder.
According to Pew Research Center, the automated license plate readers are high-speed camera systems that automatically photograph every license plate that passes them. When networked together and paired with specialized software, they can reconstruct where a vehicle has been over a period of days or weeks.
Flock Safety is the leading automated plate reader vendor, Pew Research Center noted. The company estimates its cameras were used to help with more than 1 million law enforcement investigations in 2025. But there have also been abuses of the company's technology, including multiple investigations into stalking and misconduct by law enforcement. As a result, some lawmakers have proposed bills to more tightly regulate ALPRs - or potentially ban them outright.
Those debates are taking place on a federal, state and local level. In Chautauqua County, the placement of Flock cameras in Fredonia has led to numerous levels of concerns by residents. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers in both major parties introduced at least nine bills to restrict the use of or outright ban automated license plate readers. Even Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro voiced his opposition to the tech during an unrelated news conference in late August, telling the Center Square that the tech was “not something in the public interest.”
Locally, those who replied to our online poll, "Are you concerned over the use of Flock or other camera surveillance?" went against that sentiment with 54% saying no and 46% saying yes.
This week's poll question: Are you pleased with the national election results?