If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve likely stumbled across a heated debate over some mysterious new hardware appearing on area utility poles. To a local resident, they look like nothing more than harmless, solar-powered traffic or weather sensors. However, several local online discussion threads have some bizarre and interesting theories regarding the true purpose of these cameras, ranging from routine city data collection to elaborate mass surveillance plots.
The truth, as it turns out, lies somewhere right in the middle. Here’s a look at what these cameras are all about, and, more importantly, where you can find them.
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These devices are actually automated license plate readers (ALPR), manufactured by a company called Flock Safety. They are operated by local agencies like the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the technology is designed to help law enforcement track stolen vehicles, locate missing persons, and solve property crimes in real time.
A common misconception is that these are “Red Light Cameras” and are being used to issue speeding tickets to drivers in the area with a lead foot. They’re not. Instead, they act as an advanced digital security fence, using artificial intelligence to identify specific vehicle characteristics such as make, model, color, or even unique dents and roof racks…