How to report a Flock camera you found
You don't need to be tech-savvy for this. If you've ever dropped a pin on a map app, you already know how — no coding, no app to install, just five simple steps.
- Make a free account. Go to openstreetmap.org and click “Sign Up” in the top right. It just asks for a username, email, and password — like signing up for anything else online.
- Zoom to where you saw the camera. Once you’re logged in, click “Edit” near the top of the page. A map opens — drag and zoom it (exactly like Google Maps) until you can see the exact spot.
- Click the spot and label it. Click the point (dot) icon in the toolbar, then click the map right where the camera stands. A small panel pops up asking what it is — type “surveillance camera” in the search box and pick the closest match from the list.
- Fill in a couple of details. The panel will show a few optional boxes. If there’s a “type” option, choose or type “ALPR” (short for license plate reader). If there’s a direction option, you can point it the way the camera faces — but it’s fine to skip anything you’re not sure about.
- Save. Click the “Save” button, type a couple of words like “added a camera” when it asks why, and click Save again. That’s it — you’re done.
Not sure what you’re looking at before you report it? Check what a Flock camera looks like first — the solar panel and short standalone pole are the giveaway.
What happens after you report a camera
Your submission is saved immediately. This site refreshes its own snapshot of that data on a regular schedule, so newly reported cameras typically appear on our live map within a couple of weeks.
For anyone curious how it works behind the scenes
You don’t need any of this to complete the steps above — it’s just here for anyone technical who’s curious. Picking “surveillance camera” and “ALPR” from the menus sets two labels on the map data: man_made=surveillance and surveillance:type=ALPR. Adding a direction sets camera:direction=* to a compass bearing, and naming the brand sets manufacturer=Flock Safety(or whichever it is). None of that is required — the menu options do it for you.
Reporting concerns, not just locations
If what you actually want to report is a policy concern — a camera installed without public notice, a program you think your city should reconsider — that’s a different kind of “report” and goes through your local government, not a map. City council meetings and public records requests (see are Flock camera locations public?) are the effective route for that.