Virginia counties begin shutting down Flock license-plate cameras amid privacy concerns

Henrico County announced that all 122 Flock surveillance cameras will be turned off by mid-October, with the footage and license-plate data slated for deletion within a month. County officials cited community anxiety about privacy and the risk of data being misused, despite confidence that the police have used the information appropriately for law-enforcement purposes. The county had previously signed a contract extension through 2027 but chose to end the agreement within a week.

In neighboring Goochland County, Sheriff Steven Creasey suspended the ALPR system in August, emphasizing that the technology remains a valuable investigative tool while acknowledging public concerns. Deflock.org tracks remaining Flock installations, showing that towns like Damascus have voted to eliminate their three cameras. Over 20 Virginia jurisdictions have now halted or ended their use of Flock, though the city of Richmond still operates 99 cameras. State law enacted in 2025 requires deletion of camera data after 21 days, a provision that fuels the ongoing debate over surveillance and civil liberties.