By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
One by one, cities and towns across Arizona are abandoning their contracts with Flock Safety, the manufacturer of the controversial Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) you see around town. The black pole with a little solar panel on it? That is the infamous surveillance tool that has been taking over American communities in the name of safety at the small price of freedom.
These systems were not directly approved by voters or even the elected representatives. Many of these ALPRs likely would never have been approved by voters had they been given the choice. Privacy and government surveillance are across-the-board concerns. Whether on the right or left, Americans do not want their every move tracked.
Beyond privacy concerns, cases of law enforcement officers using Flock in inappropriate ways, such as stalking ex-wives or checking on family members, are not new. Across the country, Flock’s expansion has been accompanied by numerous cases of misuse.
Let’s take a look at where Arizona municipalities currently stand with Flock…
