See that little black thing on the light pole above my bike? That’s a Flock license plate reader, photographed on Nov. 26, 2025.
If you’ve driven across the Ellsworth Street Bridge lately — and who in Albany hasn’t? — chances are a photo of your vehicle and plate number was recorded and stored for 30 days.
That’s in case you’re a suspected thief and your vehicle is wanted by the police.
I became aware of the camera last month. Somebody had asked in a comment why Albany still had traffic cameras after Eugene and other cities had turned theirs off, and I had answered that those other cities’ cameras were surveillance devices that Albany didn’t have. Which prompted a reader to send me a web link to Flock Safety, a company based in Atlanta that markets “security hardware and software, including automated license plate recognition (ALPR) systems.”
The Flock site says the Albany police had four of the company’s cameras. “Unique vehicles detected in the last 30 days: 67,880.” the site claims.
For an explanation, I emailed Police Chief Marcia Harnden.
“Yes,” she answered. “We received four Flock cameras under an Organized Retail Theft Grant to combat groups hitting area businesses.”
Only one of the four is currently in operation, at the intersection of First Avenue and Ellsworth Street. The department is waiting for parts for the other three and has not decided where to place them, the chief said.
The city council authorized the cameras on Sept. 25, 2024, when it accepted a $54,842 grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. The grant’s purpose was to buy “equipment aimed at addressing organized retail theft in the community.”
In a memo recommending that the council accept the grant, Harnden wrote at the time: “The license plate reader camera system can be easily relocated to different locations. By using this tool at local storefronts, as requested, it can serve as both a physical deterrent to reduce thefts and to collect data to aid in capturing individuals involved in organized retail theft rings.”
The grant paid for the cameras and the first-year cost of operating them, which was $14,000.
As for the results in crime fighting, the chief said she needed to gather more information, “although we have had several auto theft cases solved.”
She added that a “partner agency,” which apparently also has a Flock reader, “had a hit on a suspect from a violent crime we were seeking to arrest him for based on a flag we put on his license plate number.”
In Eugene, the Flock cameras were paused in October after citizens raised concerns about privacy and surveillance issues. In Albany, Chief Harnden said, “We only share data with other Oregon law enforcement and no federal groups.”
The Flock cameras record vehicles and license plates but not their drivers. At First and Ellsworth, the camera is positioned to look at the rear of vehicles coming off the Ellsworth Street Bridge. It presumably can’t see who’ driving.
Law enforcement is not the Flock system’s only use. The company touts other customers such as neighborhoods and home owners associations. Harnden said there are other Flock cameras in Albany, controlled by private entities.
Which reminds us all: When out and about, don’t ever do anything you don’t want someone else to see. (hh)
Here’s a closer look at the Flock camera on the northwest corner of First Avenue and Ellsworth Street.
Wow 67,000 unique automobiles in one month by one camera? That’s crazy. Thanks for looking into this Hasso. Glad my email made it to the right hands
I believe there are three at the entrances and exits of the Lowes parking lot, pointed inward.
Everyone wants privacy and anonymity until they are the victim of a crime. And then they suddenly demand that police solve the crime, which is very difficult with no data / photos / information available. We live in a criminally active world. It is good to see my home town doing something about it.
when has the world not been “criminally active” ?
people ben stealing from people for let see the last 10,000 years or so
POOR OLE NORTH ALBANY…..SPEED TRAP & NOW THIS….RIDE YOUR BIKE..OH MY
I wonder is APD will share records with ICE when ICE requests?
How invasive.what the hell this country is turning natzi.it is suppose to be innocent till proven guilty but not anymore.you may as well come sit in my living room and watch me.i believe in upholding the law but cmon on the Bible tells us things will be bad but when you can’t trust your government and people that are here to serve and protect its going to far.i think it’s to bad the world has come to spying on innocent people all it takes is one bad apple to spoil the whole box.dear b God help this country
…”In Eugene, the Flock cameras were paused in October after citizens raised concerns about privacy and surveillance issues. In Albany, Chief Harnden said, “We only share data with other Oregon law enforcement and no federal groups.”….
And what prevents those groups from sharing it with the FEDS?
And what prevents the FEDS from sharing it with any entity they damn well please? But, hey! Only the paranoid survive eh? :-)
Who would care if someone saw that you were on a public street. You have no expectation of privacy on a national highway. That road goes from Newport to Boston. Paranoia indeed.
Why is all of city council on every forum online involving Albany I can possible find arguing and being passive aggressive to citizens very valid concerns? Not a good look for Albany and neither are the cameras. Nothing but a theft of revenue from citizens to the city. Not to mention some out of state company….pathetic leadership.
I have not been on the Council since 2020
My last council meeting was end of 2024. Have we been “pathetic?” Even though we disagreed many a time, at least we both volunteered to wear that proverbial target on our back. What have you done?
“And what prevents the FEDS from sharing it with any entity they damn well please? But, hey! Only the paranoid survive eh? :-)”
You start off with a paranoid sentence and then imply I’m being paranoid. Again, your hypocrisy amazes.
Eugene and Springfield have now cancelled their contracts with Flock due to “security” concerns.
Hasso, just curious, can you explain the privacy concerns? It wouldn’t seem that a person could have a reasonable expectation of privacy while driving on a public street.
I love the picture of the Ellsworth bridge and the old building with your bike in front of it.
Maybe they could use a couple for area stores that have the highest cart theft.
I couldn’t care less about sharing information with federal agencies. I support ICE and believe that our laws, all of them, should be enforced. My issue is that government, at all levels, continues to constantly increase the level of surveillance in public places. I feel very strongly that we should NOT have a seamless blanket of surveillance cameras that ensure that your every move is observed and documented. Putting cameras in a specific area, for a limited purpose, like school zones, is one thing, but there is a tendency for governments to constantly increase their surveillance of the public. Always justifying it as being for “public safety”. I want to see the city’s increasing surveillance put to a vote.
“I couldn’t care less about sharing information with federal agencies. ……My issue is that government, at all levels, continues to constantly increase the level of surveillance in public places.”
Which is it?
i believe what he means is surveillance of you but not of me
“We only share data with other Oregon law enforcement and no federal groups.”.. in other words, we pick and choose which laws we want to enforce..
if these are for organized retail theft, how about put them in the I5 area… Duh
“We only share data with other Oregon law enforcement and no federal groups.”
Yeah, because criminals never cross state lines.
1984 is finally here.
Praise totalitarianism!
Mr, Ray, No one forces you to wear your ego on your sleeve. No one makes you a target. You ask for it when you devalue or violate other people’s rights then want them to be grateful. People struggle everyday to take care of their families and you treat them like paying for the city’s mistakes is their God given lot in life rather than reaping the benefits of their own labor. We don’t vote for you to boost your ego, we expect you to make our community safe and productive for everyone regardless of your opinion on what we deserve.
Hh if you remember I said something about four cameras in Eugene and Springfield and you said we don’t have any here
As I said in November about flock cameras. Eugene and Springfield and you said we didn’t have any here.
I was mistaken.
So what’s going to happen with the cameras?
There is a Flock camera at Central Ave at Brighter Choice school.
Probably, but not in this Albany (Oregon).
Man, this system is very insecure. https://youtu.be/uB0gr7Fh6lY?si=z4sg3zoasHIK5sv9