Alexandria police to release map of Flock camera locations

Our Take

Credit to DC News Now for flagging this one: Alexandria police say they'll post a public map showing where every Flock camera in the city sits. That's notable. Most departments treat camera locations like a trade secret, forcing residents to guess how much of their daily movement is being logged. A city-issued map, if it's accurate and kept current, is the bare minimum transparency should look like.

But a map is only as good as its honesty. Departments have a track record of undercounting cameras, delaying updates when new units go up, or quietly expanding networks between "official" releases. Alexandria residents and local journalists should treat this map as a starting point for scrutiny, not the final word — cross-check it, watch for additions, and ask who's auditing the list. We track deployments nationwide on our camera map, so residents can compare official claims against independently logged sightings.

The bigger fight isn't just knowing where the cameras are — it's who can access the data they collect, how long it's stored, and whether it's shared with ICE, other states, or private companies. A location map doesn't answer any of that. If you want Alexandria's win to mean something, push your council for real data-sharing audits and retention limits. Our take-action page has concrete steps for doing exactly that.