A VCIJ at WHRO analysis of Flock Safety data shows a startling variety of reasons – mandated by a new state law – for vehicle surveillance. Critics say the automatic license plate reader law has made use of the technology even less transparent.
In the early morning of July 1, 2025, Norfolk police officers responded to a 911 call about a vehicle stalled in highway traffic in the city’s Ocean View section.
When police arrived, the vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz, sped off, striking an officer and inflicting minor injuries, according to the police report. Multiple Norfolk officers jumped into the hunt for the fleeing vehicle, conducting nearly 900 searches on the Flock Safety system for the vehicle’s license plate…