The Arlington County Police Department has rolled out a new tool to enhance public safety and investigations: Flock Safety license plate recognition (LPR) cameras. Over the past fall, the county installed 25 LPR cameras and six Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras at key locations. The system is expected to be fully operational after officers complete their training by late January.
The Flock Safety technology goes beyond just reading license plates. It captures details like the make, body type, and color of vehicles, providing real-time alerts for stolen cars, stolen plates, or vehicles tied to wanted individuals, missing persons, or felonies. For transparency, each system use requires a justification that’s logged and can be audited.
The six PTZ cameras in the program also offer officers better situational awareness when responding to incidents, providing additional live video monitoring capabilities.
Here’s a key point: these cameras aren’t for catching minor infractions like unpaid parking tickets or expired tags. No personal driver information is collected. The footage is stored on a secure cloud for 30 days unless tied to an investigation, and it cannot be sold or shared outside law enforcement.
This isn’t Arlington’s first brush with LPR technology—they’ve used it since 2012—but the Flock Safety system brings sharper tech and more flexibility. The department’s broader effort is to enhance public safety through proactive tools and comprehensive investigations.