Rehoboth Beach, Del. — The Rehoboth Beach Police Department has installed four Flock Safety license plate readers equipped with artificial intelligence to identify vehicles by make, model, and color in real time. Since mid-April, these compact, solar-powered cameras have been operating at locations including Rehoboth Avenue, Bayard Avenue, and State Road, implemented without public or city commission input. The system provides real-time alerts to support proactive suspect identification in cases involving stolen vehicles, Amber Alerts, and wanted persons. Alerts require officer verification before action is taken. The technology and data are owned and controlled solely by the police department. Data is encrypted and stored on a secure cloud server, with the retention period determined internally and no long-term storage planned. All users undergo mandatory system training. The cameras were purchased for $12,000 with no installation fees, and annual maintenance costs match the initial purchase price. This deployment marks the only use of license plate reader technology in Sussex County municipalities, according to a national surveillance database.
