Did you know that 16 public Flock cameras capture snapshots of car license plates in Hudson? Did you know that, along with the police department, federal agencies can get access to the information gleaned from these cameras? In 2022, the city installed the cameras, using funding from a federal grant. These cameras capture snapshots of the backs of cars passing by. The Hudson Police Department's Flock cameras average roughly 17 searches per day, according to records of searches compiled by HaveIBeenFlocked.com, a site that reports data of Flock customers. Two artificial intelligence add-ons, "Nova" and "FreeForm," go further: FreeForm analyzes people in addition to vehicles, while Nova compiles license plate reader data, records management systems and other law enforcement sources into a single searchable profile. Why the Hudson Police Department uses the cameras Hudson Police Chief Geoff Willems claims that these cameras have helped immensely with solving crimes, such as sex trafficking, stolen vehicles, missing children and more. Investigators used Flock cameras to track a vehicle connected to a residence at the center of a human trafficking investigation in Hudson — the case relating to Paul L. Anderson, an 85-year-old Hudson landlord charged with human and drug trafficking. An officer used Flock’s “vehicle fingerprint” feature to search for vehicles near the property after a report of suspicious activity. The search helped investigators identify and track a vehicle seen near the residence. Hudson police primarily use the cameras to help with active investigations. “After something happens, we can go back and look for descriptions or partial license plates for our suspect’s vehicle,” Willems said. Occasionally, the cameras will get a hit from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). “If a license plate registered in the NCIC database comes into the city, [the Flock system] will alert us,” Willems said. The case