President Donald Trump endorsed law enforcement’s use of Flock cameras despite the intense bipartisan backlash they are facing in the court of public opinion.
Asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One on Sunday if he backs Flock cameras, Trump responded, “I sort of like them because of that, because of law enforcement. But some people don’t. They think it’s an infringement.”
After the reporter said the technology is used to help arrest criminals, Trump simply said, “I like them.”
This marks the president’s first instance of publicly supporting Flock cameras, which are facing criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike over their extensive surveillance capabilities.
The devices use artificial intelligence to scan drivers’ license plates, putting that information into a massive database that raises serious privacy concerns.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) expressed such concerns last month before the Florida Department of Transportation blocked automated license plate readers from being installed along the state’s highway system.
“These cameras that are out there now — who’s to say they’re only doing the license plate?” he said. “Now, they say that. I think it’s capturing people in their cars. I think it’s capturing way more information than they’re letting on. And you’ve seen the abuse.”
While Flock cameras have helped police catch suspects, many officers have been disciplined or fired for running unauthorized searches on the database. In some instances, officers used the vehicle-tracking software to stalk their romantic partners or exes with no work-related reason for doing so.
Flock cameras are in almost every state, except Alaska, demonstrating how quickly they have spread since their manufacturer was founded in 2017.
Though Flock cameras are being used in Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) recently urged the state legislature to pass a bipartisan bill banning the controversial surveillance tools statewide. Flock Safety dismissed the governor’s call for a sweeping ban.
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At the federal level, there are at least two bills targeting license plate readers like those made by Flock Safety. Trump, however, likely wouldn’t be in favor of the legislation.
Last month, the president said Flock cameras were “being studied” by his administration amid growing debate over them and teased an official response. His statement suggested the White House may release a report on the technology at some point in the near future.