Pittsboro residents are pushing back on the presence of Flock cameras in their community, citing privacy issues.
Residents took their concerns to the town commission on Monday.
Other WRAL Top Stories
"One of my concerns is that the data that we're collecting here can be used by many different entities of which we don't really know or have control over,” one man said.
“Anytime I leave my apartment or go to church, my vehicle is being recorded and monitored,” another man said. “That is an egregious violation of my Fourth Amendment rights."
In a “2024 Update” provided by the Pittsboro Police Department to the town commission in March of 2025, the department’s presentation said the Flock camera system went live in January 2024, with data being stored for 30 days.
According to that presentation, the police say they've solved cases thanks to the cameras, including three stolen cars, a hit and run, three larcenies and finding a person of interest in other larcenies.
WRAL News has covered the success and concerns around Flock camera technology in our area for years.
At least 10 law enforcement agencies in our area use the cameras, including Raleigh, Roxboro, Clayton, Garner, Knightdale, Hope Mills and Creedmoor.
The Nash County Sheriff’s Office, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office and the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office also operate the cameras.
Some of those agencies have shared success stories of the license plate-reading cameras, including finding missing people and solving crimes.
Other agencies do not have the cameras, including the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Durham, Siler City, Carrboro and Fayetteville.
The Town of Hillsborough initially entered into a contract with Flock in 2025, but elected officials changed their minds, citing concerns about the data being shared.
“My concern isn't necessarily with technology, it's the way this contract is set up,” said one town council member during the October 2025 meeting. “It looks reassuring, but really it allows Flock to override our judgment for theirs."
In a release sent Thursday to WRAL News, the Pittsboro Police Department told WRAL News that it uses nine Flock cameras at entrances of retail areas and neighborhoods to assist in investigating crimes, noting that it cannot be used for general surveillance.
I have been with the department for over 10 years, and most of our crimes, such as vehicle break-ins and stolen vehicles, have occurred in our housing developments and apartment complexes. Individuals committing these crimes often take advantage of the close proximity of homes and apartments to act quickly. In several cases, stolen vehicles from other cities have been used to commit crimes here, and the Flock system alerts us when those vehicles enter our community.Chief Shorty Johnson of the Pittsboro Police Department
The department wrote that when alerts pop up, officers respond quickly to that location, which can deter further criminal activity. By placing cameras at entrances rather than major roadways, the department said it is better equipped to narrow down stolen or suspicious vehicles. Cameras on main roads would make it harder to identify vehicles connected to neighborhood-related offenses.
Images are automatically deleted from the system after 30 days, unless preserved as part of an active criminal investigation, according to the department. Each system search is tied to a documented law enforcement purpose and associated with a case number. The system was not designed for and cannot be used to monitor general travel patterns, track individuals or identify vehicle occupants.
The department also said it has opted out of and removed its cameras and data from any searches related to immigration enforcement or reproductive healthcare investigations.
The department maintained its position that it believes these cameras are a valuable investigative and deterrent tool that enhances public safety while maintaining clear safeguards to protect individual privacy.
