Alexandria’s 61 Flock License Plate Cameras Go Dark Today
City plans to audit the shutdown November 2 and remove equipment by the end of December.
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria’s 61 Flock Safety license plate-reading cameras are expected to stop collecting new plate information by Friday night, October 30, marking the end of a surveillance program that prompted debate over privacy, data sharing and oversight.
Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire told City Council that the department had notified Flock Safety that the City was discontinuing the program. Once the cameras are deactivated, they should no longer produce new license-plate reads.
The shutdown involves several steps. Alexandria Police plan to audit the system Monday, November 2, to confirm that cameras have stopped reading plates. User access is expected to end December 1, while information associated with active investigations may be retained as evidence. Physical equipment removal is scheduled by the end of December.
Alexandria’s red-light and school-zone speed cameras operate separately and are not part of the shutdown.
Council is expected to discuss future surveillance-technology principles November 10, including oversight, transparency, auditing and control of collected data.
Residents can consult the City’s license-plate reader dashboard and City Council responses.
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