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The use of cameras by law enforcement to scan license plates and record vehicle information in an online database was limited in Eastern Iowa just a few years ago, and most residents had never even heard of the technology.

But in recent years, Automated License Plate Readers, or ALPRs, have been a hot-button issue on city council agendas across Linn and Johnson counties, with supporters lauding the usefulness of the cameras as a law enforcement tool, while opponents express concerns about privacy and surveillance.

How do ALPR cameras work, and who is using them?

ALPR cameras — often called Flock cameras because of Atlanta-based Flock Safety , the company that supplies most ALPRs in Iowa —

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