Penn State will not renew its agreement with Flock Safety and will end its use of Flock security cameras on campus, according to UPPS Chief Information Officer Jacqueline Sheader.

“After reviewing the system’s cost, return on investment and operational value, the department determined that it would not renew its now expired initial one-year contract with Flock Safety for stationary automatic license plate reader cameras at select campus perimeter locations,” Sheader told Onward State in an email.

Although Penn State will remove Flock cameras from campus, the university will continue researching new security tools.

“UPPS remains committed to using public safety technology responsibly and in alignment with university policies and applicable laws,” Sheader said. “The department will continue to research and assess tools that may provide similar operational capabilities in a more cost-effective manner, and no decisions for a replacement system have been made.”

Penn State began piloting Flock cameras in August 2025 as part of a systemwide safety pilot.

Flock’s automated license plate readers (ALPR) run constantly, capturing and analyzing license plate data. The company claims on its website that it uses this data to “help locate missing people, recover stolen vehicles, investigate serious crime, and support faster emergency response.”

Flock did not respond to a request for comment before publication about Penn State’s decision.

Flock Safety says it currently works with over 5,000 law enforcement agencies and over 6,000 communities nationwide. Overall, over 120,000 cameras have been reported across 49 states. 

Over 20 Flock cameras are reported on Penn State’s campus.

The cameras have sparked disapproval from student action groups at the university, with concerns about invasions of privacy and unwanted access to data.

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