Law enforcement agencies across Maryland recorded more than 1.1 billion license plate reads last year through a growing network of automated “Flock” cameras that can help police find stolen cars and wanted suspects — but can also create detailed records of where motorists travel.
The number of automated license plate readers operated by Maryland law enforcement agencies has nearly doubled in five years, a Baltimore Sun analysis of state reports found, reaching 1,077 cameras in 2025.
Together, they recorded an average of more than 3 million license plate reads every day. The 1.1 billion figure does not represent individual vehicles: The same car can be photographed repeatedly as it passes cameras across the state, creating a record of where and when it was seen.
