Alexandria to release map of all Flock camera locations

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The City of Alexandria is pushing for full transparency from its police department regarding automated license plate readers, with officials planning to publish a map Thursday detailing all Flock camera locations.

The controversial cameras have sparked privacy concerns around the region. Residents want to know not just where the cameras are installed, but also why those specific locations were chosen.

RELATED: Alexandria police to make map of Flock camera locations public

The police department said camera placement is based on crime patterns, transportation networks, connections to neighboring jurisdictions, and other public safety needs. Police department data shows there are currently 61 Flock Safety cameras in the city.

The cameras scan license plates and alert police when a vehicle matches a plate entered into the system. 

Officers receive alerts for stolen vehicles, stolen plates, missing persons, active arrest warrants, and vehicles recently involved in crimes or felonies. The system does not generate alerts for civil infractions, immigration enforcement, driver's license violations, or parking and tax offenses.

Amid nationwide questions about privacy and data security, Alexandria officials said camera data is retained for only 21 days. The database can only be queried by trained officers with an active case number, and data is not shared with federal agencies unless required by a court order.