In the days since our report on Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) and Flock Safety cameras in Redding and Shasta County, an overwhelming majority of readers have voiced strong opposition. Emails, comments, and messages poured in: many describe the systems as “passive surveillance monitors” that quietly track every vehicle on public roads, creating digital records of daily life without consent or probable cause.

In the shadow of Mount Shasta, local law enforcement agencies are embracing Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology to combat crime. While officials highlight significant successes, privacy advocates raise concerns that the systems enable warrantless mass surveillance of ordinary citizens.