Flock Safety’s License Plate Reading Cameras: Let’s Protect Our Neighborhood Together

Crime Fighting Cameras

The Forest Pines Civic Club is busy looking for a crime-fighting solution to help deter and catch criminals who do harm to Forest Pines. With recent criminal activity in the neighborhood, we have started to research Flock Safety’s License Plate Reading Cameras. The Civic Club is currently looking for city, county, and state grants to fund the cameras.

What is a Flock Safety’s License Plate Reading Camera

Flock Safety is a public safety operating system that uses license plate reading cameras to provide 24/7 monitoring for police departments, homes, businesses, and neighborhoods. The system was created to deter and help solve crimes such as vehicle thefts and burglaries.

Flock Cameras In Action in Houston

The Houston Chronicle reported that Flock Cameras provided law enforcement information that found the person accused of killing an Alief ISD teacher, in January. Read more on the Chronicle’s website: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/spring-klein/article/flock-camera-houston-license-plate-readers-17841501.php

How much does a Flock Camera Cost?

The annual cost of a single Flock camera is $2,500, accompanied by a one-time installation fee of $350. However, Flock is not the sole provider of automated license plate readers. Other companies such as Deep Sentinel, Citizen, and Vigilant Solutions offer comparable camera systems.

Myths About the Flock Cameras

When it comes to combating neighborhood crime, there is a wide array of security systems available for neighborhood's to choose from. These systems come with varying features and benefits, such as neighborhood gates or Wi-Fi-enabled security cameras. Among the options, automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras have proven to be effective in keeping neighborhoods safe.

You may not be familiar with ALPR cameras or may have certain misconceptions about them. Allow us to dispel some myths and provide you with accurate information about this specific type of security camera.

MYTH 1: License Plate Readers Are Only for Police

While license plate readers are commonly associated with law enforcement, they have also proven successful in neighborhoods, townhomes, apartment complexes, and businesses, contributing to increased safety. The reason is simple: on average, 7 out of 10 crimes involve a vehicle. While gate guards, neighborhood watches, and doorbell cameras have their roles, license plate cameras provide the crucial information that police need to solve crimes. By utilizing motion-detection technology and capturing images of moving vehicles, these cameras eliminate the need for residents to spend hours sifting through video footage in the event of a crime. Simply search for the relevant footage, download or share it with the police, and let them do their job.

MYTH 2: LPR Cameras ONLY Capture License Plates

While license plate readers excel at capturing license plate information, they also capture other vehicle features that can be invaluable in solving crimes. Flock's unique Vehicle Fingerprint Technology can identify the make, color, type, and distinguishing characteristics of a vehicle. It can even differentiate between permanent and temporary (paper) license plates.

MYTH 3: LPR Cameras Are Very Costly

While this myth holds true for legacy LPR cameras that have dominated the market for years, newer camera models offer affordability and lightweight design suitable for any neighborhood or business owner. Flock Safety adopts a safety-as-a-service model, allowing customers to lease the cameras annually rather than making an outright purchase. This approach ensures that all customers have access to the latest technology updates and product enhancements. Flock's pricing structure covers the device, accompanying software, installation, maintenance, upkeep, and customer support.

MYTH 4: Security Systems Require Lots of Wiring

Legacy camera companies often require electrical wiring or at least a Wi-Fi connection to transmit footage to the cloud. This can pose challenges for rural communities or those with limited resources for extensive wiring projects. Flock Safety offers an infrastructure-free solution. Its cameras are powered by solar panels and connected to LTE, similar to a cell phone, for information transmission. The installation process, typically taking a few hours, involves mounting the cameras and solar panels on poles.

MYTH 5: Installing Cameras in My Neighborhood Means Sacrificing Privacy

Privacy is a fundamental human right that should not be compromised for the sake of safety. Customers retain 100% ownership of their data, and Flock Safety never sells or shares public safety data or footage with third parties. Once captured, the footage is promptly transmitted to a secure cloud server and then deleted from the device. Default settings dictate that all footage is deleted from Flock's servers after 30 days, or within the timeframe mandated by state and local laws. To address concerns of residents who do not wish to appear in the Flock Safety system, the Safelist feature allows them to opt-out of being recorded.