What does a Flock camera capture?

Still images of passing vehicles, plus machine-learning tags Flock calls Vehicle Fingerprint: make, body type, color, plate state and type, missing plates, and items like roof racks, window stickers and toolboxes, per a Tukwila, WA FAQ. A Flock presentation in a Contra Costa County packet says the system is not connected to DMV registration data.

What does a Flock camera look like?

Flock's spec sheet lists the plate camera at about 8.75 by 5 by 2.9 inches and 3 lbs, mounted with band clamps, uploading over built-in LTE, often paired with a solar panel. USA Today describes them as typically at the top of a black pole with the camera on one side and a solar panel on the other, near intersections and busy roads.

How long does Flock keep data?

Flock says its default retention was 30 days unless state or local rules set another period, and it now recommends 7 days for new setups. Data saved as evidence can be kept longer.

What is a Flock camera? A plain-English, sourced explainer

Q: What is a Flock camera?

A Flock camera is an automated license-plate reader (ALPR) sold by Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based company. It photographs passing vehicles, reads the plate, and lets the customer (a police department, HOA or business) search the images and get alerts when a plate on a hot list passes, per Flock materials and agency FAQs such as Stoughton, MA's.

Q: How many Flock cameras are there?

Flock doesn't publish a location list. In our OpenStreetMap snapshot of 2026-10-14, volunteers had reported 144,361 license-plate readers in the US, 115,116 of them tagged as Flock Safety. These are reported, not verified, and real totals may be higher.

Q: Are Flock cameras legal?

Generally yes, with limits that vary by state. Most courts so far have held that ALPR use isn't a Fourth Amendment search; for example, a federal court upheld Norfolk, VA's Flock system in January 2026 (now on appeal). On Oct. 1, 2026, a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled one deputy's warrantless Flock search unconstitutional in United States v. Kyle, a ruling that binds only that case. Some states, such as New Hampshire and Washington, restrict use or retention by statute. This is general information, not legal advice.

What a Flock Safety camera is, what it captures and looks like, how many are reported in the US (144,361), how long data is kept, and if they're legal.

Updated 2026-10-14 · data refreshed daily · corrections

A Flock camera is an automated license-plate reader (ALPR) made by Flock Safety. Below are the basics, each with a source. For deeper dives, see our Flock camera FAQ, how to spot one, and the court cases.

What it does

It photographs passing vehicles and reads their plates. Agencies load hot lists, such as stolen cars and wanted plates, and get alerts on a match. Stoughton, MA police call a hit "only a lead" that needs more investigation (Stoughton PD). It is "NOT used for traffic enforcement," per a Flock presentation (Contra Costa County packet).

What it captures

Still images, plus what Flock calls Vehicle Fingerprint: make, body type, color, plate state and type, missing plates, and "other identifiers (roof rack, window stickers, toolbox, and more)" (Tukwila, WA FAQ). That lets users search for a car without its plate number (EFF).

What it looks like

Flock's spec sheet lists the plate camera at 8.75 × 5 × 2.875 inches and 3 lbs, mounted with adjustable band clamps, uploading "via integrated LTE," with solar panels for poles (Long Grove, IL document). USA Today says they're typically on a black pole with a camera on one side and a solar panel on the other, along highways, near intersections or on busy roads, and that some Flock models look more like regular security cameras (USA Today). Our spotting guide has more.

How many there are

Flock doesn't publish locations. In our OpenStreetMap snapshot of 2026-10-14, volunteers had reported 144,361 license-plate readers in the US, 115,116 of them tagged Flock Safety. Every one is reported, not verified. See the ones near you or open the Flock camera map.

How long data is kept

Flock says its default was 30 days unless state or local policy says otherwise, and it now recommends 7 days for new setups. Some states set limits by law (ALPR laws by state).

Are Flock cameras legal?

Generally yes, but state rules differ. In January 2026 a federal court granted Norfolk, VA summary judgment in a Fourth Amendment challenge to its Flock cameras (order), and the plaintiffs appealed. On Oct. 1, 2026, a federal judge in Oklahoma held that one deputy's warrantless search of a month of a driver's Flock history was unconstitutional (U.S. v. Kyle). That ruling binds only that case, and most courts have ruled the other way (The Ruling Desk). See all the cases and your state's law.

General information, not legal advice.