A bipartisan group of Ohio state lawmakers is urging the state’s Director of Transportation, Pamela Boratyn, to remove automated license plate readers, often referred to as Flock cameras, from state roads. The lawmakers have also called on state transportation officials to reject any future permits for these devices and to publicly share data about any cameras that have already received permits.
State Representatives Tristan Rader, a Democrat from Lakewood, Levi Dean, a Republican from Xenia, Darnell Brewer, a Democrat from Cleveland, and Justin Pizzulli, a Republican from Scioto County, have all signed a letter outlining their concerns. "The public right-of-way should not become free real estate for an unaccountable, privately operated surveillance network," the letter states.
Separately, Representative Dean is planning to introduce legislation that would prohibit agencies from using camera data without first obtaining a warrant. This push comes amidst growing concerns regarding the widespread use of Flock cameras.
Flock operates a nationwide network of these automated license plate readers, which provide law enforcement agencies with a tool to track suspects. The company asserts its cameras play a role in solving various cases, from human trafficking to theft, and claims its technology supported more than 1 million investigations in 2025. However, critics argue that the broad scope and reach of this privately operated surveillance network, valued at over $8 billion, is problematic.
The use of this technology has become a prominent issue on the Ohio campaign trail. Libertarian candidate for governor Don Kissick frequently mentions stories about Flock cameras with his comment, "DeFlock Ohio."
Both major party candidates for governor have also addressed the technology. Democrat Amy Acton, who initially praised the cameras for their role in solving crimes, later pledged "strict guardrails" as governor to prevent misuse. In a statement issued last week, Acton expanded on her concerns, saying that while law enforcement needs necessary tools, "it has become clear that AI-powered Flock cameras are prone to misuse and pose serious risks to Ohioans’ privacy." Her campaign expressed support for the current effort by Representatives Rader, Dean, Brewer, and Pizzulli to block permits on state highways, adding that as governor, she would support bipartisan legislation to ban the use of Flock technology across Ohio and work to prevent AI surveillance abuse.
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has stated he is in discussions with Ohio law enforcement, and they are "on the same page" regarding prosecuting crime efficiently while respecting constitutional rights. Speaking in Lima late last month, Ramaswamy said, "Flock cameras will not ever be used — period — in this state, to spy on an individual, when they’re in a private space, and a private space includes not just your home but also your car." However, Flock cameras are designed to focus on license plates, make, model, and vehicle color, not individuals inside the car. The Ohio Capital Journal sought clarification from Ramaswamy’s campaign on whether he supports the ordinary use of these cameras, but the campaign did not respond.
The city of Columbus provides a recent example of the complexities surrounding this technology. On August 28, Mayor Andrew Ginther announced a "strengthened framework" and "independent oversight" for the city's Flock system, highlighting its role in helping Columbus police solve a homicide, a nonfatal shooting, and locate a missing senior and a kidnapped child. Ginther stated at the time, "This should not be a choice between protecting civil liberties and protecting people from violent crime. Columbus can and should demand both."
Yet, less than a week later, Mayor Ginther announced the city was pausing the program entirely. This change of heart followed a USA Today investigation that revealed a Columbus Police Officer, Melvin Tellis, had searched the same license plate number 272 times between November 2023 and December 2024. Ginther explained the pause, saying, "Until I can report out to the people of Columbus that this isn’t a more widespread issue, I can’t, with confidence, ask them to trust us with this technology."
Ohio lawmakers are requesting that Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratyn halt all new permits for Flock-style cameras and review those that have already been issued. They are asking her to revoke permits and ensure cameras are taken down "wherever legally authorized." Additionally, they are seeking a public accounting of how many cameras the agency has authorized, their ownership, and the terms of the agreements governing them.
The lawmakers point to actions taken in Florida, where transportation officials initiated steps to revoke permits at the end of last month. "Ohioans deserve the same protection," the lawmakers stated. They argue that the core question is not whether cameras can sometimes aid in solving a crime, but "whether that benefit justifies building a system capable of tracking millions of innocent Ohioans without a warrant, individualized suspicion, or meaningful public oversight."
They contend that until Ohio establishes a clear policy to control how such traffic data is "searched retained shared or used," state agencies should scale back their use of the technology. Representatives Rader, Dean, Brewer, and Pizzulli concluded in their letter, "Our roads belong to the public. They should not be used to quietly construct a statewide tracking network around the public."
