Have You Been Flocked? New Yorkers Can Search Their License Plate Online

You’ve probably driven past one without even knowing it.

Those small cameras sitting along roads, near intersections and around communities can do more than watch traffic. Automated license plate readers can capture information about vehicles as they pass, and law enforcement agencies can use that data to search for specific plates.

Now there’s a website that lets you find out whether your license plate has actually been searched through Flock’s system.

And yes, I immediately typed mine in.

How to Check If Your License Plate Was Searched by Flock

The website is called Have I Been Flocked, and using it is pretty simple.

You enter your license plate number and then the website searches a database of Flock audit logs obtained through public records requests.

Read More: New York Communities Where ALPR/Flock Cameras Have Been Mapped

If your plate appears, it can show that someone using the Flock system searched for that plate. Depending on the available records, the audit log may also include the reason given for the search.

There is one pretty important distinction here, though. The website cannot tell you whether you simply drove past a Flock camera and had your plate photographed.

It only shows searches contained in the audit logs the organization has obtained. So if you drove past one of these cameras on your way to work, or your kid’s soccer practice, you’re not necessarily going to find that trip sitting in the database.

What If Your License Plate Shows Up?

Before you panic, finding your plate in the database does not automatically mean police were investigating you or that you did something wrong.

According to Have I Been Flocked, searches can be performed by different authorized users of the system, and the audit logs reflect searches made through Flock’s software.

The bigger issue is transparency.

Read More: Albany Considers Holding Parents Responsible for Kids Crime 

The database is compiled using public records requests from law enforcement agencies around the country. Because not every agency provides those records, and some records can be redacted, the website warns that its database is incomplete.

In other words, no result doesn't necessarily mean your plate has never been searched.

What About Flock Cameras in Central New York?

This gets especially interesting for those of us in Central New York because automated license plate readers aren't some far-away technology.

Syracuse previously used Flock Safety cameras throughout the city. However, the city moved away from Flock cameras this summer and opted to replace them with Axon cameras. The change reportedly came after concerns involving the number of license plate readers Flock installed as well as questions surrounding data sharing with federal immigration enforcement.

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That means Central New Yorkers may still encounter automated license plate readers even when the camera itself isn't operated by Flock.

Why Flock Cameras Are Getting So Much Attention

Flock Safety operates a massive network of automated license plate readers around the country. Supporters say the cameras can help police locate stolen vehicles, find suspects and solve crimes faster.

Privacy advocates have a much different concern: just how much information is being collected, who can access it and how that information is being used.

Those concerns grew recently after several law enforcement officers in Georgia were accused of improperly using Flock license plate data for personal purposes.

Read More: Central New York Opens First-Ever Traffic Garden at Santaro Park 

Flock has since announced additional privacy and accountability measures, including automatic lockouts when its system detects possible misuse. The company also announced a move toward reducing the standard period that data is available from 30 days to seven days, although existing customers may be able to keep their current settings unless they choose the shorter period.

You Can Search Your Own Plate

If curiosity has officially gotten the best of you, Have I Been Flocked allows you to search your own license plate.

Just remember what the results actually mean. A match can indicate that your plate appeared in one of the Flock audit logs collected by the website. It does not necessarily mean you were suspected of a crime.

And if nothing comes up? That doesn't guarantee your plate has never been searched, either. The website only knows what is contained in the public records it has been able to obtain.