Why It Matters
Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing legislation to restrict how police departments use automatic license plate readers and Flock camera systems, addressing concerns about warrantless surveillance of ordinary citizens and documented cases of officers misusing the technology to track spouses and intimate partners.
What Happened
Three bipartisan bills have been introduced in the Pennsylvania legislature to curtail the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) — systems that capture images of passing vehicles and store them in searchable databases accessible to law enforcement. The proposals come after recent revelations about widespread misuse of these systems across the country and concerns about how they are deployed in the state.
The initiatives reflect rare agreement between Republican and Democratic lawmakers on surveillance limits. State Senator Doug Mastriano, a Republican from Franklin County, stated that “Police should investigate people when there is a legitimate reason to suspect wrongdoing. Government should not surveil everyone in hopes of finding wrongdoing.” His Senate colleague Dan Laughlin, also a Republican from Erie County, added that “Public safety is a responsibility we all take seriously, but it should not require building a surveillance network capable of tracking the daily movements of millions of innocent individuals,” according to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
The push for restrictions follows a Washington Post investigation revealing that at least 50 law enforcement officers nationwide have been charged or accused of misusing Flock systems to surveil spouses, intimate partners, and ex-partners. In one Pennsylvania case, Armstrong County police officer Michael McSherry pleaded guilty to official oppression after using a competing system to stalk his wife; he served approximately 11 months in jail.
Flock Security, the company behind the camera systems, has responded to criticism by tightening privacy controls and recommending that agencies retain data for seven days rather than the previous 30-day standard.
By the Numbers
450 — law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania using automatic license plate readers, according to Electronic Frontier Foundation data
2,600 — automatic license plate readers documented across Pennsylvania through crowdsourced data collection
50 — law enforcement officers nationwide charged or accused of misusing Flock systems to surveil intimate partners
9 — total cameras operated by Chambersburg Police Department (three fixed, six mobile) in Franklin County; the system has been used in more than 500 criminal investigations since 2016
10,000 — searches conducted by New Castle Police Department over a three-year period
11 million — total records in New Castle Police Department search logs from departments across the country over three years
80 percent — proportion of New Castle Police searches that did not list a case number
Zoom Out
The Pennsylvania legislation reflects a broader national debate over the expansion of surveillance technology and its potential for abuse. Automatic license plate readers have become ubiquitous in U.S. law enforcement, with thousands of systems deployed across the country. While proponents argue they aid investigations and public safety, civil liberties advocates have long raised concerns about the technology enabling mass tracking of law-abiding citizens without warrants or suspicion.
The bipartisan concern in Pennsylvania mirrors similar efforts in other states and at the federal level to impose guardrails on ALPR use. The misuse cases documented by national media outlets have elevated awareness among state legislators about the risks posed by inadequate oversight and data retention policies.
What’s Next
The three bills now move through the legislative process. Passage would require both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to approve the measures and the governor to sign them into law. The specific provisions of each bill — including data retention limits, warrant requirements, and auditing standards — will likely be debated as the measures advance.