Flock cameras emerge as issue in Ohio governor's race, CIA releases pre-9/11 terror warnings

Our Take

When license plate readers start showing up in gubernatorial campaign messaging, you know the backlash has moved past city council meetings and into real political territory. Credit to Payton Marshall and Dayton 24/7 Now for flagging this: whatever the candidates' actual positions turn out to be, the fact that Flock cameras are campaign fodder at all tells you Ohio voters are paying attention to who's watching them drive to work, church, or a protest.

We've said it before — these networks were sold to small towns as a crime-fighting convenience, but they've quietly become one of the largest license-plate tracking systems in the country, often with zero public vote and vague retention rules. When a statewide race starts litigating that, it's a sign the 'just trust the police department' pitch isn't landing like it used to.

If you're an Ohio voter trying to figure out what your candidates actually mean when they bring up Flock, start by checking our map to see how many cameras are already running near you, then use our take-action guide to push your local officials for real answers before election day.