Benefits of Flock Safety Cameras

Flock Safety cameras apply machine learning to the footage they capture to identify important details that traditional License Plate Readers cameras overlook. Besides just a license plate number, Flock Safety captures and organizes vehicles into categories based on:

• Make
• Model
• Color
• Resident or non-resident vehicle
• Timestamp
• Type of plate (standard v. temporary)
• Damage or alterations (i.e. broken taillight, after-market wheels)

Flock Safety cameras are equipped with an Automated License Plate Reader (LPR). The cameras take a photograph of the vehicle and license plate as a vehicle passes. These cameras are great resource for both patrol and detectives to solve crimes, as they can search for a specific license plate or make, model and color of vehicle to determine where the vehicle maybe traveling to. This can be used for such things as hit and run, burglary, theft, or basically any crime where a suspect's vehicle description or license plate is provided.

There are currently 76 plus jurisdictions in Washington State with active Flock Safety cameras, including our south county partner cities of Renton, Tukwila, Auburn, Kent, and Federal Way.

These cameras are not a live video feed. Officers cannot view them like a CCTV system. It only alerts them once a search parameter is entered and only shows a snapshot of the vehicle. It does not photograph the driver or any occupants of the vehicle.

Flock Cameras do not photograph occupants of a vehicle and do not have facial recognition. 

Automated License Plate Readers

For more information about standard operating procedures for Automated License Plate Readers please see this document. 

Council Approval for SeaTac Use

The SeaTac City Council approved the use of Flock Safety Cameras on April 23, 2024. The proclamation was made on July 23, 2024.