President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that his administration is looking into the Flock Safety camera issue, which has become a tremendous source of controversy over recent months.

While addressing reporters at the White House, he was asked about the matter. 

“There's a lot of debate right now about these license plate scanners that are going up across the country,” a reporter asked. “They're called FLOCK cameras. People are worried that the police might misuse them. Have you heard of them?”

Trump replied, “Well, it's being studied right now. You know, you have pros and cons, right? It's being studied right now. We'll have an answer sort of as to our views on it over the next couple of weeks.”

Flock Safety manufactures automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras that are used by law enforcement to aid in policing efforts. The technology can automatically read license plates and gather data on other characteristics of vehicles they are tracking such as make, model, and other information.

Recommended
Excuse Me, We Have Lenders Operating Under Sharia Law in Minneapolis Matt Vespa The Death of Academic Fraud Jason Arday Won’t Shut Us Up Kurt Schlichter

However, many law enforcement agencies have come under fire, with privacy advocates characterizing the technology as another form of mass surveillance on the local and state level. They argue that the cameras empower police to monitor residents without adequate oversight.

Another issue that critics have pointed out involves officers misusing the technology for personal reasons. Over the past year, there have been several reports of officers accessing the database to spy on current and former romantic partners.

Several cities have cut ties with Flock Safety after backlash from their communities. Others are rethinking their contracts. Trump had not previously commented on the matter, but there has been speculation as to how the federal government will respond to the issue.