Crowdsourced App Maps Flock Safety and Other License Plate Readers Across the U.S.

A crowdsourced mapping tool called DeFlock Maps now displays the locations of automated license-plate readers (ALPRs) across the United States. The app relies on contributions from volunteers and data from the OpenStreetMap project, rather than private or government sources, to plot devices owned by several manufacturers, with Flock Safety units comprising more than 80 percent of the entries.

According to the app’s user guide, the platform aims to increase "surveillance transparency" by documenting camera sites and uploading the information to OpenStreetMap, creating a searchable public record. The guide adds that the project does not collect personal data from users, stating that "everything stays on your device except what you choose to upload to OpenStreetMap."

DeFlock currently lists 128,988 devices, of which about 105,770 are identified as Flock Safety cameras—roughly 90 percent of the company's reported nationwide total of 120,000 units in 49 states. Other manufacturers represented include Motorola Solutions, Genetec, and unnamed firms.

Law enforcement agencies, businesses, schools and homeowners associations use these cameras to capture images of passing vehicles, generating searchable records that can include license plates, vehicle make, color and additional visual details.

"Mass surveillance infrastructure is expanding rapidly in our communities, often without public awareness or consent," the DeFlock guide reads.

The mapping effort is intended to make the presence of such surveillance infrastructure visible to the public, providing a basis for accountability and informed discussion.