Allegheny County tops Pa. in Flock cameras
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Allegheny County has more automated license plate readers and Flock cameras than any other county in Pennsylvania, according to available data compiled by Finding Flock.
Why it matters: The cameras — which police say can help find stolen vehicles and wanted individuals — are used by law enforcement, businesses, HOAs and other private owners, but their ability to track vehicles at all times has fueled a growing privacy backlash and calls for tighter oversight or removal.
Zoom in: Allegheny County has 827 automated license plate readers (ALPRs), including 192 Flock cameras. Both are the most in any county in Pennsylvania.
- Washington County has 233 ALPRs, the third most in the state, and Butler County has 204, the fourth most.
- The city of Pittsburgh has 266 ALPRs, the most of any city in Pennsylvania.
The fine print: County data breakdowns were gathered on Sept. 4. Finding Flock regularly updates its data.
Zoom out: Pennsylvania has 3,630 ALPRs, as of Monday. Nationwide, there are about 140,000, including thousands of Flock cameras.
- Harris County, Texas, home to Houston and nearly 5 million people, has more than 4,000 cameras logged on the Finding Flock map, the most of any U.S. county.
What they're saying: Gov. Josh Shapiro supports a statewide ban on Flock cameras and tighter restrictions on other ALPRs, his office clarified Tuesday.
- Shapiro told Axios Monday that he supports legislative efforts ranging from heavy regulation to a ban on ALPRs and is working with lawmakers on a proposal.
- "I want to see the privacy protected for all Pennsylvanians," he said. "There have been a number of bills introduced in the legislature. Some are an outright ban, and some would be heavy regulation. I'm talking to lawmakers to see if we can find some common ground and get a bill on my desk right away."
The bottom line: The debate is intensifying as some communities reconsider or remove the cameras amid concerns about surveillance and instances of misuse.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to show Gov. Shapiro supports a ban on Flock cameras and tighter restrictions on other ALPRs (not a statewide ban on all ALPRs).