At least 18 Flock Safety license plate reader cameras are positioned across Reston, according to a Reston Letter review of publicly available camera data published Thursday, Oct. 8.

The community newsletter's count has not been independently confirmed. It is also unclear how many of the 18 cameras are operated by the Fairfax County Police Department versus private owners. FCPD runs 84 stationary Flock cameras countywide and has used the technology since 2022. The department says the cameras have helped file charges in 1,700 cases, recover more than 500 stolen cars and locate 57 missing people, Northern Virginia Magazine reported.

The cameras record license plates and vehicle characteristics, allowing police to search and share the information. Critics call the network warrantless mass surveillance. Police supporters describe it as an important investigative tool.

Privacy concerns, reflected in hundreds of emails to county offices, have prompted two unanimous votes by Fairfax County governing bodies in September.

The Board of Supervisors voted Sept. 15 to pause installation of new Flock cameras while officials review privacy safeguards, FFXnow first reported. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition. The existing 84 cameras remain active.

"There are some very real issues with the corporate entity that runs this program, and what they are doing with data," Board Chair Jeff McKay said at the Sept. 15 meeting, according to Patch. No new installations were planned during the pause, so the county will not face contractual penalties, McKay said.

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents Reston, urged the board to examine technical alternatives alongside policy protections. He asked whether camera data is also stored in the cloud, beyond county servers.

According to McKay's board matter, county camera data is stored on county servers, permanently deleted after 21 days and subject to an audit of every search. Police policy prohibits sharing data with federal law enforcement unless required by law. McKay said no instances of misuse by county police have been identified.

The board directed police to send a letter to Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley asking whether federal agencies, including ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, can obtain Fairfax County data directly or through another Flock customer.

Beyond the 84 stationary cameras, FCPD also operates 712 Axon Fleet 3 license plate readers installed on most police cruisers.

Nine days after the county pause, the Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously Sept. 24 to ban automated license plate readers on school property, FFXnow reported. The motion, introduced by at-large member Kyle McDaniel and seconded by Springfield District representative Sandy Anderson, prohibits the installation, procurement or leasing of the devices on school board property. The vote was largely preemptive. Fairfax County Public Schools does not have any license plate readers and was not planning to add them.

Not everyone thinks the county has gone far enough. DeFlock Fairfax, a resident advocacy group organized by Matthew Lofgren, has called for the cameras to be removed and contracts canceled entirely. Spokesperson Mia Amado called the pause "performative," saying the board took no "meaningful or concrete action."

The FCPD said in a statement that potential misuse or abuse of the technology is a serious concern requiring meaningful safeguards and oversight, and that the department has approached license plate reader technology with that responsibility in mind.

The board's Safety and Security Committee is scheduled to review Flock camera privacy safeguards Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m. Any action from that discussion would return to the full Board of Supervisors for a formal vote. Reston residents can contact Alcorn's office or attend the committee meeting to weigh in.