Michael Klinski
Michael Klinski
Freelance Reporter
michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org

No.

Flock Safety’s Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) are operational in 49 states, including South Dakota, but the Mount Rushmore State has no laws on the books about surveillance cameras and privacy.

Several states do, however. Maine law restricts police use of traffic surveillance cameras for enforcement purposes and places strict limits on government use of facial recognition technology.

According to CNET, Florida and New Hampshire have laws limiting the ability of ALPR systems to record or share certain personal information

Flock cameras capture images that law enforcement uses to compare plate numbers against plates of stolen cars or cars driven by people with charges.

The Sioux Falls Police Department and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office both use Flock cameras, and so does Madison. 

According to the Sioux Falls PD Flock Transparency Portal, license plates and vehicles are detected, but there is no facial recognition or identification of people, gender or race. 

This fact brief responds to a reader question. 

Sources

Portland (Maine) Press Herald, South Portland is considering adding another Flock camera. What are these?

CNET, AI Is Watching Your Every Move on the Road. These State Laws Are Pushing Back

Dakota News Now, Minnehaha County to add new cameras to catch stolen vehicles

Flock, Sioux Falls Transparency Portal

National Conference of State Legislatures, Automatic License Plate Readers


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