Reporting by Bill Atkinson, Petersburg Progress-Index
At a time when neighboring localities are reconsidering the use of Flock cameras, Petersburg is in the midst of installing them, but the city police chief says they will be used only to monitor activity, not track license plates.
“We understand that the installation of additional cameras may raise questions about privacy,” Petersburg Police Chief Travis Christian said in a statement Thursday, Nov. 2. “Our purpose is not to unnecessarily monitor the everyday activities of our citizens.
“These cameras are public safety tools intended to help us respond more effectively to incidents, investigate and deter crime, and provide another layer of protection to our neighborhoods, businesses, visitors and officers.”
While Christian said some surveillance cameras the city already has in place have automated license plate reader, or ALPR technology, the new Flocks have pan-tilt-zoom [PTZ] technology that move the cameras up and down, and side to side, to provide improved situational awareness.
“Not every camera being installed is an ALPR,” Christian said. “The two technologies serve different purposes.”
Why Flock cameras face strong opposition
Privacy advocates have raised concerns that Flock Safety cameras can create extensive records of vehicle movements, potentially enabling broad surveillance of individuals’ travel patterns and raising questions about data security and oversight.
Civil liberties groups argue the technology could expand law enforcement’s ability to monitor the public without sufficient safeguards, while supporters maintain the cameras are effective tools for solving crimes, recovering stolen vehicles and locating missing persons.
Several localities through the state − including Henrico and Goochland counties in cental Virginia − are either suspending or discontinuing use of Flock technology as a result of the privacy issues raised.
Virginia officials have identified several instances of questionable or improper use of Flock camera data. In one example, a Richmond Police employee misused the technology by sharing private ALPR data with the FBI. And in Henrico County, fire investigators have been accused of violating access to the data.
Christian emphasized in the statement his department “remains committed to balancing public safety with public trust, emphasizing transparency, responsible use of technology, and compliance with constitutional protections, policies and laws.
Exact locations of the new cameras were not disclosed, but The Progress-Index located one at the intersection of Old and North Sycamore streets in Old Towne Petersburg.
Safety concerns in that part of town were heightened after five people were shot June 21 outside Andrade’s International Restaurant on Bollingbrook Street.
The Flock presence in Petersburg comes as state Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Henrico County, announced plans last September to introduce legislation in the 2027 General Assembly that would ban Flock Safety cameras and other automated license plate readers statewide.
Aird’s 13th Senate District includes the city of Petersburg.
Both Colonial Heights and Hopewell use Flock cameras. Colonial Heights has a link on its website to the Flock portal and to a copy of the city’s ALPR policy.
Hopewell also has a link to its surveillance policies.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) has won numerous awards during his 40-year journalism career. A Petersburg native, Bill is a 1984 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond with a degree in mass communications. He specializes in coverage of breaking news, crime, government, and local/state/national politics. He is an avid history buff and a lifelong Washington Commanders fan. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com with news tips and story suggestions.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index.
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