Philly has 700 license plate readers, but is the city safer?
The short version: Cherri Gregg's reporting spotlights Philly's 700-camera ALPR network and the glaring absence of public data proving it actually reduces crime.
Our Take
Cherri Gregg asks the question every city council member ought to be asking before signing another Flock contract: does any of this actually work? Philadelphia has quietly built out roughly 700 license plate readers, and police insist it's an indispensable crime-fighting tool. But insistence isn't evidence, and as Gregg notes, the public data that would actually prove effectiveness is nowhere to be found.
This is the pattern we see city after city. Departments roll out blanket ALPR coverage, point to a handful of anecdotal 'wins,' and never publish the rigorous before-and-after numbers that would let taxpayers judge whether constant tracking of every car on every road is worth the cost — financial or constitutional. Without transparency, 'it's working' is just a talking point, not a finding.
Philly residents deserve audits, retention policies, and independent data, not vibes. Check our map to see how dense the coverage already is in your neighborhood, and visit take action for ways to demand real accountability from your local department.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Cherri Gregg, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.