Charleston not using Flock, but no plans for license plate reader ban

Our Take

Credit to WOWK 13 News for flagging the real story here: it's not that Charleston has rejected ALPR surveillance, it's that the city simply hasn't signed a contract yet. Those are two very different postures, and only one of them offers actual protection. "We're not using it right now" is a policy vacuum, not a policy — it means a city council vote, a new police chief, or a slick sales pitch from Flock Safety could flip the switch with zero public debate.

This is the pattern we see over and over: towns treat license plate readers as a procurement decision instead of a surveillance decision. But every Flock camera installed feeds into a nationwide network that logs where people drive, park, and go to church, then makes that data searchable by other agencies with a few clicks — often with little transparency about who's pulling records and why. "No current contract" does nothing to stop that network from expanding into West Virginia next budget cycle.

If you're in Charleston or anywhere else without a ban, now is the moment to push for one — before the cameras go up, not after. Check our map to see what's already deployed near you, and use our take-action resources to push local officials for real ordinances instead of comfortable silence.