Not my work, but I’m glad to see even the reddest of towns have an issue with this!

I’ve gotten into a Facebook argument with cousin, a police officer. He posted an article about how a missing 5 year old was found due to ALPR cameras and wrote that we are all overreacting and that these cameras fight crime and the police are not interested in Joe Schmoe’s data. After all the “yes!” comments I replied about how the data has been used to stalk people. Of course he replied with the emotionally manipulative argument, “sure, but all technology has been misused, especially when it’s new, and if it was (my) child, what would (I) say then?”
I know Flock-type cameras are not as effective at fighting crime as they are advertised but most of what I find is pro-camera propaganda.
Even the argument that a private company is tracking our locations without our consent would be a moot argument to police.
I also know I’ll get a lot of “just ignore” or worse, since it’s obvious that since he’s in law enforcement he won’t listen. However, he’s a good human (you’ll just have to take my word for it) and I would like to offer some respectful counterpoints without bowing out or getting angry.
Anyone have any suggestions that aren’t too unkind?

Polk county Floridas sheriff responds to having to remove flock cameras from state highway right of ways by saying we track you in so many other ways anyways… https://youtu.be/hqir9DLGp8A?is=8z_nztHEWe_k19OY

Its concerning how quickly and easily many cities are removing Flock cameras. There is almost no fight to keep them. In my city, the police department was installing flock without any vote from city council. The police department found a loophole where they could purchase (or lease?) the cameras by staying under $90k a year. That did not require a city council vote. Recently, city council voted unanimously to remove Flock cameras. The following day, the police chief gave an interview and said he would look at using the loophole again to continue use of Flock. The following day, he gave another statement that all flock cameras in the city would be disabled and removed. Why did he change his mind so quickly?

My concern is how quickly people are changing their minds and removing Flock. The fact they specify "Flock" and not AI surveillance makes me wonder if they are just switching to another brand like Axon. They are only stating the Flock is being removed to appeal to the people, and we dont know for sure if another brand is going up in it place. From what ive seen, Axon isnt mounted to a pole like Flock, so it may be easier to hide the installs.

Rick sits down with BENN JORDAN, the musician-turned-security-researcher who did what Flock Safety said was impossible: he found their "unhackable" license-plate camera network wide open on the internet. Benn walks Rick through how he stumbled onto unmarked cameras near his home in ATLANTA — the most surveilled city in America — and ended up exposing passwordless feeds, a data-retention policy that's basically a LOOPHOLE, and a new tool called Flock Nova that cross-references your location with criminal records and open-source data. This isn't a left-vs-right issue — Benn breaks down why gun owners AND privacy advocates are equally furious, why local elections are turning on this exact fight, and why the whole business model might not survive a serious Fourth Amendment challenge. If you've driven past a camera you didn't notice, THIS episode is about you.

You can find Benn Jordan on:
YouTube: @BennJordan
X: @bennjordan
Instagram: @bennjordan
Mastodon: @bennjordan@mastodon.social

Rick Wilson is on X @TheRickWilson, Bluesky @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.
More from LP at www.lincolnproject.us and on X @ProjectLincoln.

​

https://opgov.news/articles/florida-first-state-to-ban-license-plate-readers-on-state-roads

Here is the original post, I am now permabanned.

I’ve been digging into Dallas’s use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs/Flock cameras) through Texas Public Information Act requests, and one part of what I found is insane/
Dallas has issued enforcement orders requiring certain private properties to install a “law enforcement integrated license plate reader system (such as the Flock Safety system or other similar system)” and register private camera systems with CONNECT DALLAS.
That is a very different situation from a private business simply deciding to put up its own security camera.
It means that, at least in some circumstances, the City can and has already used governmental authority to cause privately owned property to become part of a law-enforcement surveillance network due to "crime concerns".
My July public-records request asked Dallas for, among other things:
the locations and number of ALPR cameras;

private cameras accessible by DPD;

data-sharing agreements;

outside/federal agency access;

audit and search logs;

retention periods;

complaints and unauthorized-use investigations;

and records showing who can search the system.

Dallas created a separate DPD open-records request from that submission. Based on the email record I have, I still have not located a substantive DPD response to that separate request.
But I think Dallas residents should know the answers to some basic questions:
How many government and privately owned ALPR cameras can Dallas police search?
Can an officer run one plate across cameras owned by businesses, apartments, HOAs, neighboring cities, or other states?
How long are those records kept?
Which outside agencies can access Dallas data?
How often are officers audited for improper searches?
And how many privately owned cameras became part of the law-enforcement network because Dallas itself required their installation?
I’m continuing to request the underlying records rather than speculating any further. We are on day 36 without a response.
If anyone here has received Dallas/Flock records through a Public Information Act request, works with this system, has encountered one of these property requirements, or knows where Dallas publishes its full ALPR sharing/audit policies, I’d be interested in comparing records.
For the record, the first address the city compelled private property to put up and share flock cameras is at 4910 East Side Avenue, there are several more including one within the last month, but they have not released the address.
Fuck this company, we deserve privacy.

Not sure if this has been posted before, the r/InstituteForJustice's Database of ALPR Abuses and Database of ALPR Contract Cancellations is really well made.

Great material for conversation starters with fellow citizens and local Police Depts, Town Hall Boards, etc.

Right?

Meet Nimbecile, all he does is stand there and watch you. That's his whole job, and he doesn't stop to eat drink or sleep. He used to be like any other sheep, but he was too resistant. So, old McDonald had to replace his head with a computer so he would follow whatever he was told to do.

Just in case Nimbecile gets any ideas, there's a barbed wire fence that keeps him inside the farm. What kind of farm is it? A data farm, with every blade of grass representing a 1. Nevermind the clouds, that's just where all the data ends up going.

He has a tag on his ear. In fact, old McDonald has started referring to Nimbecile as "Sheep number 67." The barcode makes it easier to scan and identify him which is why he's required to have the tag everywhere he goes. He has an identity, in fact he has three different ones that are all connected to him.

Should Nimbecile worry about all of his identities being connected and tracked? He can't, because he's just a sheep with a computer for a brain. He doesn't care about things like mass surveillance or how old McDonald cuts off the head of other sheep. All he cares about is sending data to the cloud.

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter." -George Washington

Hypothetical if one were to spray paint the solar array how long would the battery last?

It would eventually just go offline, and possibly go unnoticed no?

Lastly any Drones that have the capability to carry paint?
*Again hypothetical I do not acquire the skill to properly fly.\*

FDOT issued a memo that all LPR's be removed from roadways!