A federal judge ruled Norfolk’s Flock surveillance cameras don’t invade people’s privacy – yet
A federal judge ruled Norfolk’s Flock surveillance cameras don’t invade people’s privacy – yet
Publish Date: 2026-02-11 10:44:00
Source Domain: www.whro.org
Automatic license plate reader cameras — the ones that take pictures of every vehicle that passes by, including make, model and bumper stickers — aren’t inherently an invasion of privacy, according to a federal judge in Norfolk.
That was in response to a lawsuit by local privacy advocates arguing the data collected by the growing network of cameras could be used to deduce a person’s daily movements and routines.
The photos from the cameras are saved in a database searchable by law enforcement officials in Virginia for 21 days.
In Norfolk, these cameras are owned by a company called Flock Safety. And the city has a growing network of them installed along roads and at intersections.
Law enforcement officials say these cameras play a crucial role in public safety, including solving missing persons cases, finding stolen vehicles and lowering homicide rates. Privacy advocates say they violate people’s privacy and Fourth Amendment rights, which protects against warrantless searches.
Hampton Roads residents Lee Schmidt and Crystal Arrington sued over the cameras in 2024.
Federal judge Mark Davis ruled Jan. 27 Norfolk’s Flock cameras aren’t an invasion of privacy but warned this could change as the technology expands.
“… ALPR surveillance could become too intrusive and run afoul of [constitutional privacy standards] at some point,” Davis wrote in the 51-page ruling. “While a definitive answer to that question is elusive, what is readily apparent to this Court is that, at least in Norfolk, Virginia, the answer is: not today.”
Schmidt and Arrington, represented by the Institute for Justice, plan to appeal the decision.
“Although I’m of course disappointed by the court’s decision, I remain committed to fighting against this dragnet warrantless surveillance,” Lee said in a press release following the ruling.
The lawsuit claimed the data collected by the cameras could be used to track people going about their…
