North Carolina has just approved one of the state’s biggest expansions of government surveillance in history, allowing A.I. controlled Flock cameras to be installed along every highway in our state.
The change was included in the newly approved state budget, making permanent what had previously been a limited pilot program.
The new A.I. Flock cameras automatically record the license plate, make, model and color of every passing vehicle and feed the data to a centralized database. Using artificial intelligence, they compare that information with suspicious behavior, suspected stolen vehicles, wanted suspects, missing people and other investigative leads.
Supporters say the technology has already helped solve major crimes. Earlier this year, ALPR data helped authorities arrest a former Chapel Hill police officer in Florida who was accused of planning a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival.
State highways had long remained off-limits after bipartisan lawmakers raised concerns about privacy and government surveillance. However, a 2023 pilot program involving 32 law enforcement agencies paved the way for the permanent expansion.
Participating agencies must adopt written policies governing camera use and report how many license plates are captured and how often data is kept beyond 90 days.
Critics warn the system could be misused to track romantic partners, family members or political protesters. Others question how long the data is stored and shared between agencies.
Those concerns intensified after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation just charged five former Albany police officers with allegedly accessing Flock Safety license plate data for non-law enforcement purposes. The officers were fired before the charges were filed.
Just weeks ago, two Flock Safety camera poles were intentionally cut down in Pageland, South Carolina, prompting a criminal investigation and highlighting growing public frustration over expanding surveillance technology.
Now, with North Carolina authorizing the cameras along state highways, supporters say the system will help solve crimes and recover stolen vehicles. Critics argue it also creates a searchable record of where millions of law-abiding drivers travel, ensuring the fight over privacy, government oversight and public safety is only beginning.
