ALPRs, as they are commonly called, use AI technology to capture and store images of license plates and vehicles. This data can be shared and searched across national databases, where it remains accessible for indefinite periods of time. Critics say these cameras pose serious privacy concerns, and they don't belong to one party. 

While President Donald Trump is a fan of Flock, multiple Republicans at the Pennsylvania legislature have joined their Democratic colleagues in expressing support for guardrails. Both Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and his challenger in the upcoming election, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, have endorsed outright bans. Any new policies or laws will have their work cut out for them, as a sprawling network of cameras has already emerged across Pennsylvania, including in Philadelphia.

The exact number of ALPRs in any given community is hard to pinpoint, given their relative lack of regulation. Crowd-sourced maps estimate there are anywhere between 256 and 656 of these cameras in Philadelphia, most of them Flock branded. But even these unofficial trackers struggle to identify the operators. 

Philadelphia police do not own any Flock cameras, a spokesperson said, but they operate other ALPRs. Law enforcement has installed 137 in fixed locations across the city, and police vehicles have the technology, too. 

City Hall did not immediately clarify if other departments were operating ALPRs. State police said they do not own Flock cameras or share data with the company, but they did not immediately clarify if they use a competing brand like Genetec or Motorola Solutions.

While Temple University added Flock cameras to its campus in 2024, a spokesperson did not clarify how many are currently in operation. In 2024, the Delaware River Port Authority also approved a 10-year contract with New Jersey law enforcement to monitor ALPRs on the Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross bridges. Home Depot and Lowe's use the technology in the parking lots of some of their stores.

The backlash and scrutiny over ALPRs is not likely to abate any time soon. Multiple reports have emerged of police officers conducting unauthorized searches to stalk romantic partners or collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Institute for Justice has cataloged 241 incidents where the technology was misused or abused across the country, including one incident in Westmoreland County.

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