South KC Flock, Genetec ALPR cameras face new restrictions

KCPD and the Grandview Police Department operate 560 automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras manufactured by Genetec and Flock Safety. As discourse around public surveillance continues nationwide, ALPR cameras used by police in Missouri now face strict sanctions.

Cameras with ALPR systems automatically capture thousands of images of drivers’ license plates and vehicle information on public roads. The resulting location data can assist law enforcement in criminal investigations, but misuse of such data has led to widespread skepticism and scandal.

In February, a KCUR investigation found the Lenexa Police Department used ALPRs to track a writer’s movements after he published a column criticizing the department. In March, a Bonner Springs detective was accused of tracking his estranged wife using ALPRs, leading to stalking charges.

“I recognize the concerns surrounding existing and emerging technologies and their use by law enforcement,” Grandview Police Chief Richard Rogers said in a statement to the Telegraph. “That’s why Grandview Police Department regulates its use with a strong policy, enforcement of that policy and swift consequences for any violation of it.”

On Tuesday, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an Executive Order requiring that state and local police departments who use ALPR systems, including KCPD and Grandview, must establish procedures to:

• prevent and penalize department misuse of ALPR data; 
• require stored ALPR data be deleted after 30 days; 
• prohibit sale and commercialization of ALPR data collected in Missouri;
• and prohibit integration of AI facial recognition technology into ALPR systems.

How many Flock cameras are in south KC and Grandview?

Missouri law already requires that agencies like KCPD and the Grandview Police Department report and investigate any data breaches. That is why several ALPR-related sanctions in Gov. Kehoe’s order are procedures that both departments already follow, according to both departments’ communication officers.

The Grandview Police Department deploys 20 ALPR cameras from Flock Safety, according to communications director Valarie Poindexter. When they were deployed in 2023, Grandview set its Flock Safety system to delete data that is not needed for evidence after 30 days. This has been the default retention period since Grandview installed the cameras, she added.

The Grandview Police Department also conducts regular Flock Safety audits, and there is software to alert the department of suspicious activity. All these measures were already in place prior to the governor’s order, Poindexter said. 

KCPD operates 540 ALPR cameras, which is 165 more cameras than it reported using in 2025, according to Media Unit Commander Jake Becchina. The cameras are used under contract with the company Genetec, not Flock Safety, which is the leading ALPR provider in the country.

Becchina also said the department will review its policies to ensure it remains in compliance with the governor’s order. He did not state how long KCPD stored its ALPR data prior to the order on Wednesday but added the department will adjust data retention operations to comply.