President Donald Trump has weighed in on one of the most contentious surveillance technologies spreading across American roads, telling reporters Sunday that he is generally supportive of Flock license plate-reading cameras because of their usefulness to law enforcement.
The technology has generated growing controversy as police departments and local governments deploy automated cameras capable of recording license plates and other vehicle information. Supporters argue the systems can help investigators locate suspects, recover stolen vehicles and solve serious crimes. Critics, however, warn that the technology could create an enormous record of where ordinary Americans travel.
That tension has placed Flock cameras at the center of a broader national debate over public safety, government surveillance and constitutional privacy protections.
Trump was asked about the issue Sunday and made clear that, while he understands why some Americans object, he sees significant value in the technology when it helps police catch criminals.
