<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE —</strong> The Republican nominee for governor in Pennsylvania supports a ban on Flock cameras, reflecting growing concerns over the vehicle tracking technology in various races across the country.</p>
<p>In a statement from her campaign, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity described the cameras as an "intrusive invasion of privacy" and called for their ban in the state.</p>
<p>Her stance aligns with that of her Democratic opponent, Governor Josh Shapiro, who stated on Friday that he would "welcome bipartisan legislation to ban these across the state." Shapiro expressed his disapproval of the cameras at a public safety event near Philadelphia, emphasizing that Pennsylvania State Police do not utilize them.</p>
<p>"I think law enforcement needs to have tools to keep communities safe. Flock cameras are not a tool that I support," Shapiro said.</p>
<p>There are multiple bills currently under consideration in the Pennsylvania statehouse aimed at regulating or prohibiting the technology, which has raised privacy concerns due to its mass collection of license plate data for law enforcement purposes.</p>
<p>Nationally, the use of these cameras has become contentious following reports of misuse earlier this month. On Monday, outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida announced that the state's Department of Transportation would remove Flock cameras from roadways within 30 days. Additionally, Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently prohibited state agencies from funding the cameras.</p>
<p>During a Friday interview on a local talk radio program, Garrity was initially unaware of Flock cameras and asked the host to explain the technology. After receiving an explanation, she referred to them as "another example of government overreach" before shifting the discussion to Shapiro's conflict with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>Supporters of Flock cameras argue that they are effective tools for crime prevention, aiding in the recovery of stolen vehicles and locating missing persons. However, their increasing presence in cities across the nation has sparked voter concerns and raised questions about potential violations of civil liberties.</p>
<p>Both Shapiro and Garrity have distanced themselves from their previous support for data centers, accusing each other of inconsistency on the issue. Shapiro recently signed an executive order that did not implement a moratorium on data centers.</p>