USING A LASER ON A FLOCK CAMERA?

Our Take

Credit to Attorney Stephanie for turning a viral stunt into a teachable moment. The video's winking disclaimer — 'I do not condone damage to flock cameras' — is doing a lot of work, and that's the point: even a quick laser gag raises genuine questions about what counts as vandalism, obstruction, or protected protest when the target is a privately-owned surveillance camera sitting on a public right-of-way.

That tension is exactly why these cameras are controversial in the first place. Flock Safety's ALPR network wasn't put to a public vote in most towns, yet it quietly logs the comings and goings of every driver who passes one. When people start pointing lasers, spray paint, or traffic cones at these poles, it's less about the hardware and more about frustration with a surveillance system that expanded faster than the legal and ethical guardrails around it.

We're not in the business of encouraging anyone to mess with equipment — that's a fast way to catch a criminal charge, laser or not. The more durable move is knowing where these cameras are and pushing back through legitimate channels: check our camera map to see what's watching your routes, and visit take-action for ways to organize against unchecked ALPR deployment in your community.