A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that the warrantless use of 176 Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras by Norfolk police is constitutional, dismissing a lawsuit that argued the network violated Fourth Amendment rights. The judge found the camera system, comprising 75 clusters, is not extensive enough to constitute an unreasonable search and seizure, distinguishing it from more pervasive surveillance methods like historical mobile device location data. While the Institute for Justice plans to appeal, citing privacy concerns and potential abuses seen in other cities, the court concluded that the limited scope and frequency of data capture do not “track” individuals’ movements comprehensively. This ruling comes amidst a national backlash against ALPR technology, with several cities terminating contracts with Flock Safety due to privacy issues.