Alexandria Police Chief Orders Flock Camera Removal by Friday

Drivers in Alexandria can expect the city's Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras to go offline by Friday, October 30. City officials announced the end of the program during a council meeting on Tuesday, signaling a shift in how local law enforcement utilizes automated surveillance tools.

Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire confirmed that he sent a formal notice to Flock Safety earlier in the week to discontinue the service. McGuire stated, "Effective this evening, I sent notification to Flock Safety that we would discontinue our program with them." He added that he anticipates the ALPR cameras will be deactivated by Friday.

The physical removal of the hardware will take longer than the data shutdown. McGuire indicated that the goal is to have all cameras removed from the city by the end of December. City Manager James Parajon emphasized the immediacy of the data cutoff, telling the council, "The Flock contract is canceled. The data will be turned off within 48 hours."

This decision places Alexandria in the company of several other jurisdictions in Northern Virginia that have recently reduced their reliance on Flock. Arlington and Dumfries both removed their Flock cameras in September. Fairfax County paused the expansion of its existing program late last month while it conducts a review. Additionally, Fairfax County Public Schools issued a ban on the use of ALPR cameras on school grounds.

The move follows widespread public concern over the use of artificial intelligence in traffic surveillance. The Institute for Justice, a law firm that has litigated against Flock for privacy violations, reported that nearly 50 police officers nationwide have been disciplined for using the cameras to track romantic interests. Critics argue that taxpayer funds are being used for broad surveillance without adequate safeguards.

Virginia State Sen. Lashrecse Aird, a Democrat representing Petersburg, has introduced a draft bill to ban automated license plate readers statewide. Aird argued in September that Virginians are paying with "hard-earned taxpayer dollars" to be surveilled, a situation she called inexcusable.

The city council is scheduled to convene on November 10 to discuss future protocols and guidance for potential surveillance technologies. The council approved the exit strategy during the Tuesday meeting, which concluded with applause from attendees.