Why do Flock camera maps show different counts?

Start with the same geographic area

A count inside city limits differs from a count within 10 miles of a city center. The circle may include suburbs and may exclude outlying parts of the city. Two maps can also choose different center coordinates. Compare the boundary and center before comparing numbers.

FlockDetour's city pages state a reference coordinate and a 10-mile (16.1-km) radius. The records table lists nearby documented sites and links to their current map details. The figures describe that circle, not an official municipal inventory.

Tampa camera snapshot · Toronto camera snapshot

Separate ALPR cameras from Flock Safety devices

ALPR is a technology category. Flock Safety is a vendor. An ALPR total can include Genetec, Motorola and records with no manufacturer. A general camera map can also include speed, red-light and traffic cameras. Adding all of those together does not produce a Flock camera count.

FlockDetour's city snapshots publish separate totals for ALPR records, records attributed to Flock Safety, and other or unattributed vendors. A missing vendor label is unknown. It is not evidence that the device is or is not made by Flock Safety.

An import date is not a field inspection

A map may refresh from a source today even though a camera was recorded months ago. Check the source date, retrieval date and any record-level verification details separately. Removed equipment can remain in community data until someone corrects it, and a new import can contain older observations.

FlockDetour city pages show when their snapshot was retrieved. They exclude records marked removed. The current interactive map can change between snapshot releases; the two views are not guaranteed to match at every moment.

Loaded pins are not always a complete count

Interactive maps may cap results to keep a large area fast. A screen showing a thousand pins might be showing a sample. Likewise, two sources can describe the same physical camera, creating duplicate records unless they are reconciled.

FlockDetour's snapshot generator splits capped areas into smaller queries, deduplicates returned IDs and then applies the radius filter. If a query remains capped, the city page labels the numbers as lower bounds. Distinct source records can still refer to the same physical device, so the page calls them records rather than a verified physical-camera census.

Choose a map you can inspect and correct

Use the map that makes the relevant records easy to inspect, explains its limits and offers a way to correct errors. For a trip, compare available routes and their tradeoffs. For a local policy question, look for current agency records. A pin alone cannot establish ownership, operation, retention policy or whether a vehicle was photographed.

In Canada, include the spelling 'licence plate recognition' in your research and check the vendor rather than assuming every ALPR is a Flock device. Thin fixed-camera coverage also says little about mobile readers.

Compare camera apps · Find cameras by city · Data sources and corrections

Related guides

DeFlock, FlockHopper and FlockDetour compared · How to find Flock cameras near you · How to avoid Flock cameras, legally · All guides · Live camera map · Get the app