Counting the Flock: Just how many ALPR’s are in the metro?

FARGO (KVRR) — As the number of Flock cameras and similar license plate readers continues to grow, we tried to find out how many Flock cameras are in the metro–and who controls them. But the answers aren’t easy to find.

You most likely have driven past a Flock camera at some point without even realizing it. Flock is a private company that partners, typically, with law enforcement. Its network of cameras log vehicle license plates and physical characteristics, storing that information for up to 30 days.

The website DeFlock.org has an interactive map that allows users to report Flock cameras and LPR’s in their area.

“It’s all user reports. Our database is on OpenStreetMaps. If you’re not familiar, I tell people to think Wikipedia for maps,” explained Bob Smetana, a volunteer for DeFlock.

According to DeFlock, the Fargo-Moorhead area has the highest number of Flock cameras in the state, with around 87 units reported by DeFlock’s users.

We contacted the cities of Fargo, West Fargo, and Moorhead to see what information they’re willing to share, including the number of Flock cameras and their specific locations.

Fargo police have 26 Flock cameras. After submitting an open records request, the city told us they spent around $133,000 on Flock cameras last year.

West Fargo police have 47 Flock cameras, at a cost of $2,500 per camera each year.

Neither Fargo, nor West Fargo would disclose the locations of their Flock cameras, citing security concerns.

“It’s a pretty common story. Oftentimes Flock customers, particularly police departments, are pretty cagey about information, including policies and procedures and audit logs. I find it funny when they get cagey about the locations of the cameras, given that the whole argument is you’re in public and you have no expectation of privacy.”

But in Moorhead, things are a bit different. State law requires the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to keep a public list of all law enforcement agencies in the state that use License Plate Readers and the location of each camera.

According to the site, Moorhead has eight cameras, while Dilworth and The Clay County Sheriff’s Office have none.

Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner say his office has three or four Flock cameras located on county roads outside city limits.

“General area, it would be Mapleton, one near Horace, and then one up near the Harwood area.”

But the technology isn’t restricted to law enforcement. Private companies have joined Flock as well.

Lowe’s and Home Depot have their own Flock cameras to monitor parking lots and have information about the cameras in privacy statements.

“There’s a number of retailers. Simon Mall Group I know is a big customer of theirs. So they’re showing up. And a lot of those will share with each other and a lot of those will then share with law enforcement.”

We didn’t find any LPRs at the Home Depot in Fargo, but we did find Flock cameras at the Lowe’s on 13th Ave. S.

We also found cameras in the parking lot of Scheel’s on 45th Street.

Neither Scheels, nor Fargo police, would comment on who owns those cameras, but they are included in the camera count on DeFlock’s website.

When it comes to colleges in the area. We learned that NDSU, Concordia College, and Minnesota State Moorhead do not own any Flock-type cameras.

However, the University of North Dakota says there are four Flock cameras on their campus.