Flock license-reading cameras have been installed by the Moorhead Police Department.

Digital eyes are watching motorists at Moorhead intersections – collecting license plates and capturing the make, model and unique features of the vehicles on the roadway below. The Automated License Plate Recognition system has already been used recently to recover a stolen rental vehicle, which was located within minutes of getting an alert for a stolen vehicle; it was recovered without incident.
Motion-activated cameras from Flock Safety have been mounted on busy streets throughout the city. The advanced technology is intended to capture objective evidence of what’s going on along the city’s streets. According to a news release by the Moorhead Police Department, the system safeguards individual privacy by not capturing people’s facial features, gender or race.
The department news release notes that the cameras permit retroactive search, helping to solve crimes after they have occurred by providing investigative data. It also alerts officers to vehicles on the “hot list,” aiding in active investigations.
Local use of the camera system is being guided by Minnesota statutory requirements for the use of automatic license plate readers. The collected data is limited to plat numbers, date, time and location of vehicles. The cameras are not used to monitor or track individuals, unless authorized by a search warrant based on probably cause or vital circumstances.
All of the data that’s collected is deleted after 30 days unless associated with a specific criminal case. A public log is maintained, including times of data collections, the number of vehicle plates collected, and the location of ALPR camera. The log does not include specific identifying information.
The cameras capture only still images, not video. They cannot be used to track those who violate red lights or similar traffic violations.
More information on operation and use of Moorhead’s new ALPR system can be found at https://transparency.flocksafety.com/moorhead-mn-pdl