More communities, businesses, and public safety agencies have begun investing in high-tech security solutions, among which license plate reader technology may prove critical in reducing crime.

License plate reader cameras can be placed anywhere to capture detailed data about license plates and vehicles used to commit crimes, so action can be taken quickly and efficiently.

With crime rates on the rise in major cities in 2021, safety continues to be a top priority for communities across the US.

When it comes to protecting homes, communities, and businesses, license plate reader cameras provide additional protection, given that 70% of crimes involve a vehicle. 

Many existing security systems used to protect communities today are reactive. For example, if a crime is captured with a traditional security camera, video footage requires hours to sift through and doesn’t always provide sufficient evidence to make an arrest. 

Proactive security systems can prevent crimes before they occur, rather than only providing evidence after a crime has already been committed. License plate readers use data-driven, actionable evidence—like a stolen plate or vehicle not permitted to be in a neighborhood—to achieve these broader security goals. 

Here’s why license plate readers matter:

According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, upwards of 70% of crime involves using a vehicle. 

In most cases, a license plate number is the number-one piece of evidence law enforcement can use to make an arrest.

﻿Stolen vehicles are often used to commit additional crimes. Alerting police when a stolen vehicle or known suspect enters a community can prevent crime before it happens. 

License plate readers will continue to play a critical role in the national crime and safety conversation. This is true especially as communities, businesses, and public safety institutions increasingly rely on technology to drive insights to generate leads and solve and prevent criminal activities.

2. How License Plate Reader Cameras Enhance Security

Neighborhoods, Gated Communities, and HOAs

Eighty-two percent of non-violent crime goes unsolved — not because police aren’t doing their job, but because they lack actionable evidence. Law enforcement agencies know that a license plate is key to solving most crimes because it can lead them to the name and address of the perpetrator. That’s why Flock Safety built a solution that focuses on license plate recognition (LPR) and Vehicle Fingerprint ™ technology.

A license plate is the number-one piece of evidence that the authorities need to take action. 

A license plate can be tied back to an individual. This gives authorities a clear direction in their investigation. It’s also linked to the history of the owner or vehicle, so if the vehicle or plates have been stolen, law enforcement can act on that information. 

Additionally, witnesses may misremember details about a vehicle or suspect. A license plate number eliminates the potential for bias or false identifications.

How License Plate Reader Cameras Enhance Security

Flock license plate reader cameras come with many advantages:

 ·        Instantly searchable data, including plate numbers or information for missing/covered plates, as well as vehicle make, model, color, alterations, and other unique identifying information. With a standard camera, you have to go through hours of footage to find the captured crime.

·        Integration with local law enforcement to identify vehicles involved in crimes from retail theft to amber alerts. When the camera identifies a wanted license plate, the camera will notify the authorities automatically, with no action needed by the camera owner.

·        Actionable evidence to bring to the authorities. According to the Innocence Project, an organization working to exonerate wrongfully convicted people, “mistaken eyewitness identifications contributed to approximately 69% of the more than 375 wrongful convictions in the United States overturned by post-conviction DNA evidence.” 

Providing objective evidence mitigates bias and gives law enforcement what they need to quickly and effectively investigate a crime.

·        24/7 protection. Even full-time security guards can’t monitor the entirety of a property. And if a crime does occur on their watch, actionable evidence is not always available to make an arrest. 

The benefits of license plate reader technology extend to many individuals within a community, from law enforcement to business owners, to HOA residents and board members, and beyond.

People who place a high value on feeling safe and secure at home often choose to live in communities that meet those expectations. Homeowners associations charged with providing security services for neighborhood spaces must review and evaluate a wide array of options for securing their communities.

Communities often decide between traditional security options such as gates, lighting, and security patrols. Many residents already use personal security devices like smart doorbells, cameras, alarm systems, and motion sensor-activated outdoor lighting.

As a way to supplement these traditional security measures, license plate reader cameras can fill in any security gaps and bolster evidence in the event of a crime. They also minimize the risk to residents, security personnel, and neighborhood watch volunteers by reducing the need for face-to-face confrontation and providing 24/7 protection.

The Flock Safety Advantage for Neighborhoods

Flock Safety’s camera systems are maintenance-free and hassle-free. Cameras are leased, so your neighborhood always has the latest model.


Flock cameras are budget-friendly and run on LTE and solar panels, ensuring no hidden costs. ﻿You don’t need to run electricity, wifi, or anything else to them.


Flock Safety cameras are discretely designed, so they don't compromise the neighborhood aesthetic.


Flock respects your privacy. The encrypted data collected is 100% owned by your HOA or community and is only kept for 30 days.

Learn more about how Flock Safety can help your neighborhood work with law enforcement to reduce crime rates, protect home values, and give your residents peace of mind.

Retail theft is a growing issue for retailers of all sizes. A recent survey of small business owners found that over 50% experienced an increase in shoplifting over the last year. These businesses may struggle to prevent thefts and have limited ability to track down suspects after the fact, even with in-store video footage.

The National Retail Federation’s 2021 Retail Security Survey revealed that, as retailers ramped up multichannel methods like online shopping and curbside pickup during the COVID-19 pandemic, risks have also increased. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, organized retail crime costs businesses an average of $700,000 per $1 billion in sales in 2020, up more than 50% in the past five years. 

Facing a growing threat of shoplifting, robbery, cyber theft, and violent crimes, half of the survey respondents said they would add technology resources for their security needs.

A license plate reader allows a business to link a shoplifter or other suspect to a vehicle, making it more likely they can be identified and arrested. 

Crimes also happen outside businesses, such as parking lot smash-and-grabs, which LPR cameras can help prevent and solve. If a former employee or unauthorized person enters the premises, LPR cameras can alert admin to prevent any unwanted confrontation. 

The Flock Safety Advantage for Businesses

Flock Safety passes information to your security team first, affording them the option of passing it on to authorities.

Flock adds another important layer to your business’s security strategy at a competitive price and offers “security-as-a-service,” which ensures your business always has the latest version of the Flock camera, saving you from constantly upgrading your equipment.

Businesses have the option to register employees and frequent couriers so that unauthorized vehicles can quickly be detected.

Learn more about how Flock Safety can help your business reduce crime, improve customer experience, and keep employees safe.

If you’re managing apartments or other rental properties, resident safety is a top priority for retention and reputation. Crime and a high rate of resident turnover can be extremely costly.

Implementing license plate readers can help prevent these issues and provide protection for your residents, leading to a safe community and satisfied residents. 

Property managers have to juggle various responsibilities with multiple units or properties. LPR cameras can help reduce the burden by automatically alerting authorities when a crime occurs and producing actionable evidence without the need to sift through hours and hours of CCTV footage.

The Flock Safety Advantage for Property Managers

Flock Safety cameras are hassle-free with no hidden costs. Installation, maintenance, and upgrades are included in the annual cost.  

Flock cameras are solar-powered and run on LTE, which means they do not add to utility costs or rely on potentially unstable wifi. 

As a property manager, you can take a hands-off approach to security. Police can be notified 24/7 without any necessary action by you.

With the ongoing costs of managing one or more properties, Flock Safety’s price point is appealing compared to CCTV or hiring extra guards.

Learn more about how Flock Safety helps improve resident safety, satisfaction, and retention while reducing crime rates and protecting your investment.

Often, business and property owners will join an improvement district in an effort to help maintain and promote a safe and thriving community for businesses, visitors, and residents. Reducing crime and increasing safety are among the top priorities for such improvement districts, ultimately leading to higher property values, better business development opportunities, and happier residents and customers.

License plate reader technology can monitor the area and reduce crime by creating a security presence. LPR cameras run unattended 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, handling high volumes of traffic and license plates.

Additionally, LPR camera systems can be integrated with law enforcement, automatically reporting at-risk vehicles to law enforcement.

The Flock Safety Advantage for Improvement Districts

Installation, upgrades, and maintenance are handled by Flock. Even if a camera is stolen or vandalized, Flock Safety takes care of recovery and replacement.

Flock Safety cameras are solar-powered and run on their own cellular network, so there’s no need to hook them up to city utilities.

Flock Safety empowers security resources by integrating with local law enforcement and providing video that is searchable and easy to sift through, saving hours.

Learn more about how Flock Safety helps Improvement Districts by reducing crime.

Flock Safety’s license plate reader camera systems are helping create safer communities across the United States. Flock is present in 42 states and thousands of cities. Flock’s technology has led to the recovery of $10 million in stolen valuables, the seizure of over 20,000 firearms, and the recovery of over 15,000 stolen plates since 2017. Flock boasts a 97% plate capture rate and sends 120 Hot Tag alerts per hour.

Police departments across the country are seeing success using Flock Safety cameras, such as Wichita Kansas PD, which recovered 56 stolen plates, recovered $1.1 million in stolen property, made 121 arrests, and seized 16 firearms within the first two months of using Flock.

Communities using Flock Safety reported a reduction in package and mail theft by up to 90%.

Flock Safety users saw a $40,000 annual savings versus installing a physical gate.

San Marino, California saw a 70% reduction in crime using Flock Safety.

Cobb County, Georgia saw a 62% crime reduction with Flock Safety cameras.

A Dayton, Ohio neighborhood that uses Flock Safety cameras experienced lower crime rates by 43%.

One improvement district reported a reduction of car break-ins by 46% and 25% fewer vehicle thefts while boasting over 1 million visitors each year.

Whether you’re a business owner, HOA board member, property manager, law enforcement officer, or other professional seeking to protect yourself and your community, Flock Safety will help improve security and lower crime rates.

Book a free demo today to see how Flock Safety can help reduce crime and protect your community.

Flock Safety is a public safety operating system that helps communities and law enforcement in 2000+ cities work together to eliminate crime, protect privacy, and mitigate bias. We build devices that capture objective evidence and use machine learning to create and deliver unbiased investigative leads to law enforcement. Our proprietary devices and cloud-based software reduce crime by +70%. Flock Safety serves 2000 cities in 42+ states and is helping solve hundreds of crimes every day.

Flock Safety’s license plate reader technology helps neighborhoods, businesses, and police build safer communities.