Flock & ALPR Cameras in San Mateo County, California
Volunteers have reported 714 automated license plate readers across San Mateo County — each one logging every passing plate with a time and location.
Need this county’s camera data? Custom extracts are free for researchers, journalists and advocates. Ask for it.
- Oct 8 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 8 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 8 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 8 Flock Safety camera newly reported
Newly reported by volunteers — cameras may have been up long before someone mapped them.
📷 12 new license plate readers just reported around Sunnyvale, CA. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #Sunnyvale
How San Mateo County compares nationally
San Mateo County ranks #164 of 3,222 U.S. counties for cameras per resident, inside the top 7.6% nationally. The count covers 745,100 residents and 1,847 miles of county roads — 8.4284 cameras per 10,000 residents.
What’s watching San Mateo County
Automated license plate readers like Flock Safety’s photograph every plate that passes, stamp it with time and place, and store it in a searchable database that’s routinely shared across agencies — here’s where that data goes. Counts reflect cameras volunteers have mapped inside San Mateo County. Spot one that’s missing? Report it on DeFlock.
The latest around San Mateo
- 2 new license plate readers reported around San Mateo, CA
- Redwood City to let Flock Safety contract expire over automatic license plate readers concerns
- San Mateo County grand jury calls for stronger oversight for license plate readers
- San Mateo panel approves Clearview Way housing conversion: Office campus that houses GoPro HQ greenlit for redevelopment
What you can do in San Mateo
County commissions and sheriff’s offices sign these contracts — and answer to residents. Ask how long plate data is kept and who it’s shared with: file a public records request, speak at a public meeting, and see the playbook on Take Action. Organizing locally? Join or start a chapter.
Not sure what one looks like? See photographs of installed cameras before you go looking.
Cameras nearby in California
← All California cameras, counties & cities
Camera reports: the open-source DeFlock project. County boundaries: US Census.