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Flock camera debate moves from protests to vandalism
“The police department doesn’t go around every day checking the cameras.”
A Flock camera overlooking the Snell Isle Bridge was spray-painted gold earlier this week, marking the third time in five months that one of St. Petersburg’s automated license plate readers has been vandalized.
The St. Petersburg Police Department plans a relatively simple fix. “What we will likely do is just remove the paint,” said Ken Knight, a public communications specialist for SPPD.
Whether three incidents are enough for the department to consider additional protections for the equipment is less clear. Knight said he could not speak to potential security changes.
“That’s a policy question,” Knight said, adding that “the police department doesn’t go around every day checking the cameras.”
The latest incident comes as Flock cameras, which have operated in St. Petersburg since 2022, face increased scrutiny over how police collect and use vehicle data.
Resident Carl Gunn has spent recent Saturdays protesting the cameras by blocking their lenses with cardboard attached to a pole. His demonstrations went viral and attracted national media attention, bringing greater visibility to the city’s camera network.
READ MORE: St. Pete’s ‘Flock Blocker’: ‘Don’t be following me’
SPPD began with 25 cameras through a pilot program in 2022 before expanding to 50 cameras in 2024. Police Chief Anthony Holloway addressed questions surrounding the technology Aug. 6 in the department’s most detailed public explanation of the system to date.
“There has been a great deal of discussion about Flock Safety cameras and how law enforcement uses them,” Holloway wrote. “We want to provide clear, factual information about what these cameras do, how they help keep our communities safer, and address some of the misinformation circulating on social media.”
According to SPPD, the cameras photograph passing vehicles and collect license plate numbers along with characteristics including make, model, color and other distinguishing features. The department says they do not use facial recognition technology or identify drivers and passengers.
Investigators can search the database for vehicles connected to violent crimes, burglaries and other criminal investigations, as well as stolen vehicles and missing or endangered people.
The department requires authorized personnel to document a legitimate law enforcement purpose before conducting a search. SPPD says misuse can result in disciplinary action, including termination, and vehicle data is automatically deleted after 30 days.
Privacy advocates have questioned whether networks of automated license plate readers can create searchable records of motorists’ movements, including those of people who are not suspected of committing a crime. Holloway maintains SPPD does not use its system for generalized surveillance.
The controversy has also spread beyond St. Petersburg. Pinellas County commissioners recently requested a presentation from Sheriff Bob Gualtieri about how the technology is used, including who can access the information, retention policies and costs.
Meanwhile, opposition inside St. Petersburg is becoming more organized. A newly formed group, DeFlock St Pete, is calling for City Council to cancel the city’s Flock contract and remove the cameras. The organization is scheduled to hold an educational meeting at 11:30 a.m. Saturday (Aug. 15) at the Barack Obama Library.
Knight did not indicate whether the latest incident will prompt any policy changes or additional security measures to protect the equipmen, but he did say at the moment the responsibility is on Flock manufacturer to repair the equipment – the gold paint is coming off.
