3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 18
Summary
More Americans are vandalizing automatic license-plate readers, with recent cases ranging from a Tennessee congressional candidate accused of shooting four cameras to all eight readers in Winona, Minnesota, being cut down and stolen.
130,000-plus readers now operate nationwide, and critics say they track people’s movements to places such as doctors’ offices and gun ranges while law-enforcement misuse has fueled distrust.
At least 50 officers have been charged or accused of unauthorized searches, and ICE has accessed Flock Safety’s database through local partners for immigration investigations, according to the report.
Flock Safety says its cameras help solve crimes and scans 20 billion plates a month in more than 6,000 communities, but it last week cut data retention to seven days and required case numbers for searches.
100 jurisdictions have paused or canceled camera contracts in recent months, while online how-to videos, influencer praise and public defenses of suspects show the backlash has spread beyond local protests.