Flock Safety cameras capable of scanning and logging license plates are already operating at retail locations in Great Falls, including at a Home Depot parking lot, and most shoppers have no idea the technology is there. The cameras use artificial intelligence to read plates and, in some deployments, flag vehicles of interest to law enforcement or property owners.
Flock Safety says it operates in more than 5,000 communities across the country. The company markets its cameras to retailers, homeowners associations, and law enforcement agencies as a crime-deterrence and investigation tool. Critics argue the passive, continuous collection of movement data on ordinary people — without their knowledge or consent — raises serious civil liberties concerns, particularly when that data is shared with or accessible to police.
Montana has a relatively strong tradition of privacy protections in state law, and the spread of this technology is prompting a policy conversation at the state level. While Great Falls is the immediate focus, the technology's reach is not limited by city boundaries — similar cameras have been deployed in private and public settings in communities of all sizes. Helena residents and lawmakers alike will likely be watching how Montana responds as the debate over automated license plate readers moves from a national argument into a local one.