offbeat
Two license plate readers torched in Georgia amid backlash in opposition to the surveillance community
Dougherty County Police Division (DCPD) close to Albany, Georgia, is interesting for assist from the area people after somebody set two Flock Security cameras on hearth.
Police initially investigated whether or not the automated license plate readers (ALPRs) had malfunctioned. After analyzing proof from each scenes, nonetheless, officers reclassified the incidents as legal harm to property.
In an replace communicated to journalists, reported by Fox 5 Atlanta, DCPD revealed nothing about what brought on the fires on the 2400 block of Radium Springs Highway close to the intersection of Williamsburg Drive, nor did it supply any particulars about potential suspects that may assist generate ideas.
The places offered by police carefully correspond to two reported ALPR locations mapped on the deflock.org platform, a community-driven challenge to map these cameras throughout the US.
Flock, for the uninitiated, is a tech firm that makes ALPRs, in addition to different safety gadgets comparable to cameras, gunshot audio detectors, drones, and extra.
Nevertheless, primarily via controversial law enforcement partnerships, the corporate has – amongst some people – constructed one thing of a unfavourable model picture.
Hundreds of legislation enforcement companies throughout the US deploy its know-how, and tales of officers abusing ALPR methods will not be uncommon.
The Institute for Justice highlighted earlier this month at the least 26 circumstances during which officers allegedly abused ALPR information to stalk romantic pursuits, with many of the incidents occurring since 2024.
Likewise, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claims lower than 1 p.c of the automobiles that move via Flock’s methods are linked to crime, however nonetheless have their particulars scanned and uploaded to a nationwide database, which might be queried by legislation enforcement officers.
And whereas Flock has repeatedly denied giving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) direct entry to its methods, reports have shown local police running Flock searches on the agency’s behalf. Customs and Border Safety (CBP) has additionally accessed Flock information whereas pursuing immigrants.
Widespread issues about Flock’s position in probably undermining the non-public privateness of US residents has additionally led to police departments, and others, ending their contracts with the corporate.
The Los Angeles Police Division announced final week that it might let its Flock contract expire, three years after initially signing a deal to entry its cameras, which, regardless of not being owned by the police, are deployed throughout the town.
Dean Gialamas, the division’s CIO, acknowledged that information privateness, safety, and sharing issues must be ironed out earlier than the LAPD signed one other Flock contract.
The backlash has not been confined to canceled contracts and privateness campaigns. In a number of cities, Flock cameras have additionally been bodily attacked.
Jeffrey Scott Sovern, 41, was charged over a spate of alleged tampering with Flock ALPR cameras in North Suffolk, Virginia, between April and October 2025 – know-how he claimed in a recent hearing was unconstitutional.
He’s accused of varied acts in opposition to the cameras, starting from repositioning the lenses away from roads, to disassembling the poles on which the cameras are mounted, and eradicating key elements comparable to wires and batteries.
Sovern faces 13 counts of destruction of property, six counts of petit larceny, and 6 counts of possession of housebreaking instruments.
Equally, the cities of Eugene and Springfield, Oregon, canceled their Flock contracts in December 2025, lower than two months after three poles supporting Flock digicam installations have been “cut down” by unknown vandals.
4 of the overall eight cameras deployed in Park Ridge, Illinois, have been additionally knocked down over two nights in early June, a phenomenon police chief Bob Kampwirth reportedly guessed could be due to a TikTok trend encouraging folks to destroy the know-how.
These are only a handful of the incidents during which folks have allegedly taken their disdain for Flock know-how into their very own arms.
The corporate is definitely conscious of the assaults on its gadgets, and simply final week published a blog reminding prospects of its add-on safety plan, below which coated cameras might be repaired or changed at no further value.
It acknowledged the intentional harm however didn’t tackle the broader privateness backlash surrounding its merchandise, as a substitute dismissing rumors that vandals have been looking for valuable metals contained in the cameras.
The Register contacted Flock and we’ll replace this story if we obtain a response. ®
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