Flock Safety surveillance cameras are hidden in plain (and not-so-plain) sight throughout Clairemont, Linda Vista, Kearny Mesa, Bay Park, and Serra Mesa, inciting varied feelings among local residents about whether they feel safe or surveilled. There are 42 Flock cameras throughout our community alone, and if you’re wondering exactly where, I’ll share the exact locations.
In the entire city of San Diego, at least 500 surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers (ALPR) are mounted on streetlights and utility poles. San Diego’s neighboring cities add more to the tally, with 150 in Chula Vista and 126 more in Carlsbad, to name a few.
The concern over Flock Safety surveillance cameras
After announcing reforms to its privacy, accountability, security, and transparency safeguards a little over a month ago, private surveillance tech company Flock Safety continues to make headlines for a mix of reasons. Police arrests and firings over the misuse and abuse of the technology have troubled many. Widespread privacy concerns have led more cities and municipalities to cancel their contracts. You just can’t seem to get away from Flock these days—in some cases, quite literally.
Using Deflock, an open-source, volunteer-powered mapping tool for identifying, tracking, and documenting ALPRs, I took a closer look at where Flock and other ALPRs like it are located so residents can be aware. This is what I was able to find:
Clairemont ALPR locations
In the Clairemont area, the Deflock map flagged 13 ALPRs, listed below:
- Five in the Genesee Plaza parking lot in front of the Home Depot
- One behind the Home Depot along Balboa Arms Drive
- One on Genesee Avenue and Mount Alifan Drive, in front of High Tech High Mesa
- One at the intersection of Balboa Avenue and Genesee Avenue, in front of the Aldi parking lot
- One at the intersection of Balboa Avenue and Mount Abernathy Avenue, between the Shell and ampm gas stations
- One in Clairemont Mesa East on Balboa Avenue, in front of the Barclay Square Apartment Homes
- One at the intersection of Genesee Avenue and Derrick Drive, in front of Best Pizza and Brew
- One along Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Clairemont Mesa Gateway, in front of the Rainbow Service Center Vacuum Repair Shop
- Another one a little further down Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, in front of the Novellus Clairemont Assisted Living Facility
Linda Vista ALPR locations
13 ALPRs are reported to be in the Linda Vista neighborhood at these locations:
- Four at the intersection of Linda Vista Road and Ulric Street
- Three along Friars Road at the southernmost point of Linda Vista
- Two along Ulric Street near Fashion Heights
- Two on both sides of the street by the bus stops on Genesee Avenue and Richland Street
- One at the intersection of Linda Vista Road and Genesee Avenue
- One at the intersection of Osler Street and Genesee Avenue near the Linda Vista Community Park, and the Linda Vista Skate Park
Bay Ho ALPR locations
There are currently no ALPRs reported in Bay Ho specifically, but several are listed near the borders:
- Two at the intersection of Balboa Avenue and Clairemont Drive, in front of the Starbucks
- One at the intersection of Clairemont Mesa Blvd and Luna Avenue, in front of the Cao Dai Temple of San Diego
Bay Park ALPR locations
One Bay Park location is mapped with ALPRs:
- Located on either side of Denver Street where it intersects with Clairemont Drive, across the street from the Shell gas station and 7-Eleven
Kearny Mesa ALPR locations
The Deflock map lists nine automated license plate readers across Kearny Mesa:
- Four at the intersection of Balboa Avenue and Convoy Street, in the Convoy District
- Another four at the intersection of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Convoy Street in northwest Kearny Mesa
- One at the intersection of Ruffin Road and Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, across the street from a Chase Bank
Serra Mesa ALPR locations
It appears there are two ALPRs in the Serra Mesa neighborhood:
- Located at the intersection of Sandrock Road and Murray Ridge Road
Why some are against ALPRs
On the Deflock website, under a section titled The Dangers of ALPRs, the organization notes that this technology can lead to privacy violations, as these cameras can track one’s movements and store that information for long periods, creating a detailed record of where you’ve been.
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They also note the risk of misuse, adding that ALPR data has led to wrongful arrests, profiling, and instances of police officers stalking their ex-partners. The organization also claims there is no substantial evidence that these cameras effectively prevent crime.
Deflock states, “ALPRs are a serious risk to your privacy and civil liberties. These systems continuously record your movements without a warrant, probable cause, or even reasonable suspicion. Your driving history is rarely confined to the town or city where the cameras are installed. It’s typically shared with thousands of other agencies nationwide (secretly). Once the data is out of your community, you have no control over how it’s used or what rules apply, leading to instances of misuse.”
Why some praise ALPRs
On the other side of the issue, independent nonprofit, the San Diego Police Foundation, which raises private funds to support the San Diego Police Department, insists ALPR technology keeps our city safe, stating, “ALPR technology helps officers identify stolen vehicles, locate wanted suspects, find missing people, and generate investigative leads in serious crimes. Reducing or eliminating this tool would impact the Department’s ability to quickly respond to and investigate the crimes that impact your neighbors and communities.”
According to information on their site, since December of 2023, ALPR technology has assisted in more than 792 investigations, recovered more than $7.5 million in stolen property, helped recover almost 600 stolen vehicles, and led to over 580 arrests.
With the use of ALPR technology like Flock quickly becoming a hot-button issue on both sides of the political spectrum in the upcoming midterm elections, the decision on where to draw the line between safety and the right to privacy may ultimately be left up to each and every one of us as the voters of the city of San Diego and the United States of America.
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