In Norfolk, Virginia, a lawsuit has revealed that police cameras tracked a retired veteran, Lee Schmidt, 526 times over a four-month period. Between February 19 and July 2, 176 cameras across the city logged Schmidt's location about four times per day, according to a court filing on Monday (September 15). Schmidt, who lives in Norfolk, expressed shock at the frequency of surveillance, stating, "The creepiness level just went straight up," as reported by NBC News.

The cameras, operated by Flock Safety, are part of a $2.2 million deal with the city that runs through 2027. Flock Safety, founded in 2017, has become the largest provider of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) in the United States. These cameras capture photos of cars, storing time and location data, which can be accessed by police for investigations.

Schmidt's lawsuit, filed with co-plaintiff Crystal Arrington and the Institute for Justice, argues that the use of ALPRs without a warrant violates the Fourth Amendment. Arrington, a health care worker, was logged 849 times in the same period, averaging more than six times a day. The lawsuit seeks to disable the cameras and delete all data on the plaintiffs.

Flock Safety maintains that ALPRs do not constitute a warrantless search, as they capture point-in-time photos in public spaces. However, privacy advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have raised concerns about the potential for mass surveillance and data sharing across jurisdictions.

The Norfolk Police Department referred inquiries to the city, which declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. The case highlights growing concerns about surveillance and privacy in the digital age, as more citizens question the extent of monitoring by law enforcement agencies.

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