Missouri Governor Issues Executive Order Setting Statewide Standards for License-Plate Reader Cameras

Governor Mike Kehoe signed an executive order establishing “strict safeguards” on the use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, including Flock Safety cameras. The order directs the Missouri Department of Public Safety to draft guardrails for state agencies and state-funded local law-enforcement bodies. Minimum standards require most license-plate and vehicle data to be permanently deleted within 30 days, prohibit vendors from selling or commercializing Missouri-generated data, limit ALPR use to legitimate criminal-justice or lifesaving purposes, impose accountability measures for misuse, and bar the integration of artificial-intelligence facial-recognition with ALPR systems.

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The order arrives amid a national debate over the privacy implications of ALPR systems. In Missouri, the City of Parkville recently suspended its Flock camera program after a local report, while Blue Springs police expanded their program earlier this year. Two weeks ago, Senator Josh Hawley launched an investigation into Flock Safety’s AI-powered cameras, citing concerns about widespread data collection.

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Governor Kehoe emphasized that protecting citizens includes safeguarding constitutional rights and warned that unchecked collection and indefinite storage of location data threatens privacy. He framed the order as a first step toward preventing abuse while preserving the tools’ public-safety benefits.

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Senator Hawley asserted that more than 120,000 Flock cameras operate across 49 states and that the systems scan over 20 billion vehicles each month. These figures are presented as part of his investigative findings and have not been independently verified within the available reports.

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• “Protecting citizens also means protecting their constitutional rights,” — Mike Kehoe, missouri governor — Mike Kehoe, Missouri governor

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