Is There A Flock Camera On Curran Highway In North Adams?

There's been some hype in North Adams about a Flock camera monitoring traffic near Curran Highway.

What Are Flock Cameras?

Flock Safety makes automated license plate reader (ALPR) and video surveillance systems that capture and analyze vehicle information on public roads. Recently, there's been a lot of criticism about how they work, and reports that a Flock camera may be coming from our WNAW-AM transmitter site.

map.deflock.org screenshot

This Map Honestly Makes No Sense

DeFlock is an open-source, community-driven effort to map automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras in the United States and around the world. What doesn't make sense about this map is that it claims a Flock camera just off Curran Highway in North Adams is pointing toward Hunter Foundry Rd. Here's why it doesn't make sense to me.

Ryan Pause/TSM

Flock Camera In A Swamp?

When you look at the map and compare it to real life, the camera would have to be right next to the swamp. That's impossible to reach unless you plan on wearing a good pair of fishing boots. Plus, someone would've had to be really sneaky to install the camera because we at Townsquare Media Berkshire never contracted anyone to do it.

Ryan Pause/TSM

The Site Is For AM Broadcasting Only

Since 1947, this has been the home of WNAW (formerly WMNB), operating at 1230 kHz AM with an output power of 1,000 watts. It's also the parent frequency for 94.7 FM that broadcasts on Mohawk Trail. This will be used strictly for AM broadcasting, with no plans to install any FLOCK cameras.

Could there be a FLOCK camera in the area, and is the map inaccurate? Maybe, but I searched the area myself and couldn't find anything that looks like these cameras. If you do happen to find it, feel free to send it to us through our app. 

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