BRICK, N.J. — Brick Township police are investigating the apparent vandalism of a Flock Safety automated license plate reader after someone cut down the pole supporting the camera at one of the township’s busiest intersections.
Officers responded around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday to the Exxon station at the corner of Drum Point Road and Hooper Avenue, where they discovered the approximately 15-foot metal pole had been cut through and toppled overnight.
Acting Police Chief Henry Drew said the damage appeared to have been caused with a reciprocating saw or similar cutting tool. While the pole was severed, the Flock camera itself remained intact.
Authorities have not announced any suspects or a motive.
Police acknowledge cameras have generated controversy
Although investigators have not identified a reason for the vandalism, Drew acknowledged the automated license plate reader system has generated criticism since its installation.
“Some people are up in arms over them,” Drew said in a statement.
Brick Township began deploying Flock Safety cameras in May 2024 as part of its effort to assist police investigations involving stolen vehicles, wanted suspects and other criminal investigations.
The solar-powered cameras photograph passing vehicles and record license plate numbers along with a vehicle’s make, model, color and other identifying characteristics. According to township officials, the information is retained for 30 days unless it becomes part of an active criminal investigation.
Police say the system can generate real-time alerts when a vehicle associated with a stolen car, missing person or criminal investigation passes one of the cameras.
Privacy concerns fuel opposition
While many law enforcement agencies credit automated license plate readers with helping solve crimes, the technology has become increasingly controversial nationwide.
Civil liberties organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that the cameras collect information on millions of law-abiding motorists without individualized suspicion, creating databases capable of revealing where people live, work, worship, receive medical care or attend political events.
Privacy advocates have also pointed to reports of misuse by individual officers and concerns about how license plate data is shared among participating law enforcement agencies.
Flock Safety says its system does not use facial recognition technology and is designed to identify vehicles—not people. The company has also introduced auditing tools and access controls intended to limit unauthorized use of the data.
National backlash has grown
Opposition to automated license plate readers has expanded in recent years through grassroots campaigns urging municipalities to reject or remove the systems.
Critics argue that fewer than 1% of vehicles scanned by license plate readers are connected to criminal activity, while supporters maintain that collecting data from all passing vehicles is necessary for investigators to identify suspects and recover stolen property.
Several municipalities around the country have allowed contracts with Flock Safety to expire or have declined to install the technology after residents raised concerns about privacy, government surveillance and data sharing.
Supporters of the systems counter that automated license plate readers have become valuable investigative tools that can quickly identify stolen vehicles, locate missing persons and generate leads in violent crime investigations.
Investigation continues
Brick police have not said whether surveillance video from nearby businesses captured the vandalism or whether investigators believe the incident was politically or ideologically motivated.
Anyone with information about the damage to the Flock camera pole is encouraged to contact the Brick Township Police Department.
The vandalized camera is expected to be repaired or replaced as the investigation continues.
Related: Brick Township, Flock Safety, automated license plate readers, Brick Township Police, Drum Point Road, Hooper Avenue, surveillance technology, New Jersey
