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FOR FLOCK'S SAKE

Des Moines IA

License-plate cameras reported in and around Des Moines, IA, local decisions with a source for every item, and what you can do. We haven't independently verified these reports. Something wrong or missing? Tell us.

Snapshot · 2026-10-12

21

reported cameras within 6 mi of the city center

Active ALPR nodes on OpenStreetMap, from our daily snapshot. Radius sized to the city's land area.

Population

213,096

U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 estimate.

Per 10,000 residents

1.0

A rough ratio: the camera radius doesn't match city limits, and cameras near the center can sit in neighboring towns.

Trend: our daily history for Des Moines, IA starts 2026-10-12. A chart appears after the second daily snapshot.

Live map & nearest cameras

Counting reported cameras within 6 miles of Des Moines, IA…

Documented actions

No local decisions for Des Moines, IA in the sources we track (cancellations tracker, cited news). That doesn't mean nothing has happened. If you know of a vote, contract or policy change, send it with a source.

Nearby communities that acted

As reported by DeFlock The USA Cancellation Tracker.

Contract, renewal & spending

Vendor contract on file
Unknown
Renewal date
Unknown
Spending
Unknown

We haven't reviewed a primary source (contract, invoice, or council record) for these. A records request is the way to get them, and we'll add what you send us.

Iowa ALPR law

§ 321P.4

The operator of an automatic registration plate reader or any associated data storage device shall permanently delete from the plate reader and storage device, as applicable, every image of a vehicle registration plate captured by the plate reader, and any other accompanying data, no later than 30 days after the image was captured. Prior to deletion, data may be copied by law enforcement if relevant to an ongoing criminal case or investigation. A person who violates the retention and storage law is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.

Summary quoted from NCSL, Automated License Plate Readers: State Statutes, updated September 28, 2026. Not legal advice; read the statute.

What you can do in Des Moines

  1. Request the records from your local police department or sheriff: contracts, policies, sharing lists, audit logs. (Prefilled for Iowa.)
  2. Check upcoming council or commission agendas for ALPR or Flock items, then prepare a public comment (prefilled for Des Moines).
  3. Track a drive from Des Moines to see how many reported cameras your commute passes.
  4. Fix the map: report missing cameras, or use "Report a fix" on a wrong pin.

Look it up elsewhere

Other independent projects hold records we don't. We link to them rather than copy their data.

Nearby city files