'We gotta ban these dadgum things:' Congressman criticizes Flock cameras, police respond

Our Take

When a sitting member of Congress says the quiet part loud — "we gotta ban these dadgum things" — it's a sign the ALPR debate has finally cracked into the mainstream. Rep. Tim Burchett's bill targeting federal purchasing and funding of Flock Safety cameras is a modest step, but it's the kind of pressure point that matters: much of this surveillance network was built on grant money and quiet budget lines, not public votes.

Naturally, law enforcement is framing this as a threat to public safety rather than a check on unaccountable infrastructure. That's the same script we hear in every city council meeting where these systems get rubber-stamped: cameras solve crimes, so questioning them must mean you're soft on crime. What gets left out is the part where a nationwide, privately-run network of plate readers can track anyone's movements, indefinitely, with almost no oversight or public input.

Whether or not this specific bill goes anywhere, it's a signal that the political ground is shifting. If you want to see how far this surveillance web already reaches in your own backyard, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back locally, our take-action page has the tools to start.