Flock in Roanoke

Current Deployment

As of July 2026, Roanoke's active Flock footprint stands at 27 devices — 26 license plate readers and one live video camera — per the city's Flock transparency portal, down from the 37 cameras reported in an April 2026 count. (Cardinal News; Flock Safety transparency portal)

By state law (Code of Virginia § 2.2-5517), the technology may only be used for criminal investigations where there is reasonable suspicion a crime was committed, or for active investigations related to missing or endangered persons; system data must be purged within 21 days of capture. (Code of Virginia § 2.2-5517; Cardinal News)

The City of Roanoke's system detected 381,227 vehicles in the past 30 days. (WFXR)

Update: Audio Detection Program Repealed (July 2026)

On April 20, 2026, the Roanoke City Council voted 5-2 to approve encroachment permits for 75 Flock "Raven" audio gunshot-detection devices — sensors (not cameras) that alert police to gunshots and other loud noises such as car crashes and fireworks. The program was funded by roughly $57,000 in Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grant money. (Cardinal News; WSLS 10)

That program has since been discontinued. After a citizen complaint, the city discovered in June 2026 that many of the 41 devices installed under the April ordinance were placed at addresses the council had never approved — the result of data-entry errors, including duplicate addresses and a misspelled "Orange Ave." listed as "Grange Ave." (a street that doesn't exist in Roanoke). The city first disclosed 16 misplaced devices on June 24, then revised that to 30 the next day. (Cardinal News, June 24; WSLS 10, June 22)

On July 6, 2026, the City Council voted unanimously to repeal the April ordinance and end the Raven audio-device program entirely. City Manager Valmarie Turner said 80% of the devices had already been removed and all sensors were inactive, with full removal of all 41 devices expected by the end of that week. Turner and Mayor Joe Cobb both characterized the rollout as a preventable administrative/human-error failure rather than a reversal on the technology itself; the city said it will independently verify removal of each device. State Sen. David Suetterlein and Del. Joe McNamara, who had separately raised privacy concerns about the program in June, issued a statement calling the repeal "a positive step toward restoring trust." (Cardinal News, July 6; WSLS 10, July 6)

What Roanoke Says It Does and Does Not Do

• RPD states that Flock cameras have made a significant difference in helping officers more quickly locate suspect vehicles and solve criminal cases. (WDBJ)

• Virginia law prohibits the use of Flock technology for immigration enforcement, traffic enforcement, harassment or intimidation, enforcement based solely on a protected class (race, religion), or personal use. (City of Roanoke FAQ)

• RPD states that while images can be shared with other Virginia law enforcement agencies, any out-of-state or federal agencies must subpoena RPD to access its Flock data. (WDBJ)

A Local Success Story — Flock's Account

The Roanoke Police Department used Flock license plate reader technology to locate a missing elderly man and return him safely to his family. (Cardinal News)