Grand Junction’s New Flock Cameras: What They Do And Why Now

Grand Junction and Western Colorado are off and running in 2026 with some new surveillance cameras showing up around the River City. These Flock Safety Cameras are a license plate reading (LPR) system now being used statewide by several Colorado police departments to help investigate crimes and to locate stolen vehicles.

Keep scrolling to see where some of these cameras are showing up around town, and what questions residents have about what these cameras actually do, and how their data will be used.

What Are Flock Cameras? A Plain-English Explanation

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Flock Safety Cameras use advanced Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology to photograph passing cars. These cameras track license plate numbers, vehicle color, and any unique features spotted on a vehicle traveling through Grand Junction.  Flock cameras do not record video or use facial recognition. Colorado police can use ALPR tech to make it easier to search for vehicles involved in area crimes, missing persons cases, stolen cars, or vehicles tied to Amber alerts.

Where Flock Cameras Are Installed in Grand Junction

So far, Grand Junction has installed Flock cameras in areas near Canyon View Park near I-70, around the Mesa Mall, and near Home Depot along the Patterson Road corridor. KKCO recently shared a report showing Flock cameras are being added in areas with high traffic volume and in areas useful in tracking vehicles entering or exiting key parts of the city.

Why the City Supports Them — and Why Critics Push Back

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Grand Junction Police will rely on Flock cameras to speed up the investigation and recover stolen vehicles. Some residents in the Grand Valley are asking about privacy, concerned that widespread use of ALPR will track movement patterns over time. They wonder about unnecessary surveillance and data misuse. Colorado Newsline says this debate is happening in many parts of Colorado as 2026 gets underway.