{
  "id": 11750268,
  "title": "Welcome to the Flock Elections",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/welcome-to-the-flock-elections",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T18:52:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mother Jones",
    "slug": "mother-jones",
    "url": "https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/flock-cameras-midterm-elections-democrats-republicans-alpr-axon-motorola/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the past six months, Americans have become more aware of automated license plate readers (ALPRs), which are used by nearly 80% of police departments in the United States to track vehicles and their drivers without a warrant. These devices, often mounted on power poles and stoplights, have sparked intense controversy and opposition across the political spectrum.\n\nWith the 2026 midterm elections approaching, candidates from both major parties in battleground states like Florida, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are leveraging the issue of ALPR regulation in their campaigns. Both Republicans and Democrats acknowledge that they need to limit the use of unregulated surveillance technologies, including ALPRs.\n\nALPR systems, such as Flock, use advanced cameras to compile searchable databases containing license plate numbers, timestamps, vehicle details, and other information. Flock CEO Garret Langley claims his company's cameras have helped solve one million crimes in 2025, though this claim has not been substantiated. While ALPRs can aid in tracking missing persons or stolen vehicles, they have also been used in controversial ways, such as stalking ex-partners, monitoring abortion seekers, and aiding immigration enforcement.\n\nPublic opinion on ALPRs is divided. A recent survey by the National Policing Institute found that 80% of Americans support their use in finding missing children or investigating violent crimes, but 75% disagree with their use for immigration enforcement or routine traffic enforcement. Support for ALPRs increases when departments implement safeguards to prevent abuse.\n\nFlock's aggressive public relations efforts have not convinced many politicians to support the company, regardless of political affiliation. Donald Trump has expressed support for ALPRs, but this is an exception among politicians. As concerns about privacy and civil liberties grow, local governments are canceling contracts, removing cameras, or banning ALPRs altogether.\n\nThe lack of clear regulations governing ALPR use has left a power vacuum for politicians to fill. In response, a growing number of municipalities, including over 50 in the past year, have severed ties with ALPR vendors like Flock. A Senate committee led by Republican Josh Hawley and Democrat Dick Durbin recently held a hearing on ALPR reform, but the company's representatives did not attend. At least four bills targeting ALPR regulation were introduced in Congress in September alone, indicating a potential shift in the national conversation surrounding these surveillance technologies.",
  "summary": "Over the past six months, Americans have become increasingly aware of automated license plate readers, used by almost 80 percent of American police departments to trace vehicles and their drivers without the hassle of a warrant. ALPRs perch on power poles and stoplights, quietly encroaching on the most sacred silo of American life—the car. People […]",
  "key_points": [
    "80% of U.S. police departments use automated license plate readers (ALPRs)",
    "Candidates in battleground states address ALPR regulation in 2026 midterm campaigns",
    "ALPR company Flock claims to have solved one million crimes in 2025"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}