- Flock Safety license plate cameras have sparked a local debate in St. Petersburg, with residents expressing concerns about surveillance overreach.
A national debate over the risks of Flock Safety license plate cameras played out locally this week.
Frustrated residents packed a “DeFlock St. Pete” event as police departments and the technology company continue to defend the cameras as essential crime-fighting tools.
St. Petersburg has installed 50 Flock cameras throughout the city. Police say the system identifies suspected vehicles, not drivers, recording details such as license plate numbers, makes and models. That includes the arrest of Jeremy Mason last month, who was accused of kidnapping his girlfriend and heading through five different counties before a Flock camera spotted his license plate in Polk County…