Articles
What the Flock?
An index of reporting, court records, and public filings showing what happens beyond Flock's public-safety claims. These are the documented problems, mistakes, and abuses that can be easy to miss when the story comes only from the vendor or the agencies using the cameras.
23 articles · page 1 of 2 · RSS
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Monroe Kills Flock Safety Contract, Shuts Down All 23 License-Plate Cameras
hoodline.com
Monroe's city council voted unanimously to end its Flock Safety contract, switching off all 23 license-plate-reading cameras. Aggregated reporting says more than 50 agencies or communities have canceled, suspended, or rejected Flock contracts since the start of 2026, and Flock now recommends seven-day data retention plus tools to flag abusive searches. Ohio has no statewide ALPR retention or audit rules.
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Auburn voters to decide on automatic license plate reader ban next year
wgme.com
Auburn city councilors rejected immediate adoption of a citizen-led petition to ban automatic license plate readers, sending the measure to a special election within four to six months. The petition followed residents learning that police had installed Flock Safety cameras last summer; the units are currently switched off because of budget cuts. The city attorney said the ban's wording could block police access to other law enforcement databases.
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Texas freezes installation of Flock cameras along state roads
kvia.com
The Texas Department of Transportation stopped issuing permits for Flock cameras and other license plate readers along state roads at Gov. Greg Abbott's direction, a pause that does not remove existing devices, including more than 900 operated by the Department of Public Safety. The move followed Abbott's funding freeze after a Tribune investigation into $30 million directed toward over 3,200 cameras. Florida ordered removals in August.
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City Council discusses affordable housing overhaul, introduces license plate reader ban
idsnews.com
The Bloomington City Council introduced Ordinance 2026-22, which would bar the city and its agents from acquiring or using automated license plate reader technology and from sharing surveillance camera data with third parties. The measure follows a March 2026 resolution on ALPR transparency, the city's April decision not to renew its Flock Safety contract after an investigation, and Monroe County's July termination of its own Flock contract. A vote is planned Oct. 14.
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Pa. lawmakers eye limits, outright ban on Flock cameras as they prepare for fall return
witf.org
Pennsylvania lawmakers from both parties have introduced at least nine bills to restrict or ban automated license plate readers, seven of them within six weeks, and both candidates for governor oppose the cameras. Proposals range from an outright ban to warrant requirements and local opt-outs. The Department of General Services is removing Flock from the COSTARS state contracting portal, while police chiefs and district attorneys oppose a blanket ban.
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Toledo council to unveil plan to audit Flock camera system
13abc.com
Toledo City Council members plan to introduce legislation calling for an audit of the city's more than 100 Flock license plate reader cameras. Councilman Mac Driscoll wants the system paused during the review, citing resident concerns about data use, while Councilman John Hobbs III argues it should keep running absent proof of local misuse. No improper searches have been reported in Toledo or Lucas County.
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Bastrop City Council votes to terminate Flock contract, prevent similar cameras in the future
kbtx.com
Bastrop, Texas, city council voted to immediately end its contract with Flock Safety and to bar future automated license plate reader contracts in the city. Residents had pushed for removal after the cameras were covered the prior week. The report notes Texas Gov. Greg Abbott paused funding for the cameras and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst called for a ban, with College Station scheduled to vote September 24.
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New Bedford Councilor Burgo Moves To End Current Plate-Reader Contract
newbedfordguide.com
Councilor-at-Large Shane Burgo has proposed an ordinance letting New Bedford's automated license plate reader agreement expire and barring purchases, renewals, or expansions of mass location-tracking tools without a council hearing, published privacy study, data rules, and vote. The draft would disclose camera sites, generally require a warrant or case number for searches, ban data sales and most federal or out-of-state sharing, and mandate annual audits. Police suspended the Flock system in August during an audit and misconduct investigations.
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Flock cameras draw opposition from across the political spectrum
mprnews.org
Opposition to Flock license plate readers is emerging as a bipartisan political issue ahead of the midterms. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called for legislation banning them, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved to revoke permits on state highways, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott froze state spending. Senate Republicans are investigating police misuse, and polling shows more Americans disapprove of the cameras than approve.
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Tribune editorial: Salt Lake City should have strict privacy rules for license plate readers
sltrib.com
The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board argues that Salt Lake City should adopt strict privacy rules for automated license plate readers, writing that such surveillance is only tolerable if the public can closely watch the watchers. The piece frames oversight and accountability as conditions for the city's use of the technology.
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The Flock-Off Act (HR 10221) Would Defund Every Police Plate Reader in America. Here's the Catch.
youtu.be
Thomas Massie filed H.R. 10221 this week. Yes, it's really called the Flock-Off Act
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Lynchburg City Council votes to end Flock Safety contract amid surveillance concerns
wsls.com
Lynchburg City Council voted 6-0 to direct the city manager to notify Flock Safety that the company's cameras will no longer operate in the city. Council members said staff could not confirm whether microphones as well as cameras would be removed, or give a removal date. The city may owe $35,000 for early termination, and a follow-up vote was scheduled. Cameras remain offline.
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A new bill reflects the bipartisan backlash against Flock-enabled mass surveillance
reason.com
Reps. Thomas Massie and Eric Burlison introduced the Flock-Off Act, which would bar federal funding of license plate readers except at the border or for toll enforcement, with cosponsors from both parties. A YouGov survey found 46 percent of respondents opposed police ALPR use, up from 33 percent a year earlier. The piece also notes Sen. Josh Hawley's investigation of Flock and the Institute for Justice count of 157 local governments canceling contracts.
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Reps. Massie, Burlison Introduce the "Flock-Off Act" to Defund Surveillance State Cameras
massie.house.gov
Representatives Thomas Massie and Eric Burlison introduced H.R. 10221, the Flock-Off Act, which would prohibit federal funds from purchasing, installing, maintaining, or operating automated license plate readers and biometric surveillance cameras. The bill would require removal of federally funded systems within 180 days, bar funding for related contracts, subscriptions, and data-sharing arrangements, and exempt border-area cameras and toll enforcement. Cosponsors include Boebert, Gosar, Khanna, Roy, and Spartz.
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Florida bans Flock cameras and other license plate readers from state highways
nbcnews.com
Florida's Department of Transportation revoked all prior approvals for license plate readers in state highway rights-of-way, citing a rapid increase in deployments plus reports of misuse and data privacy concerns. The order does not cover private property or local rights-of-way, where officials say 98% of cameras sit, though the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office ended its program anyway. Flock said a ban was the wrong response and cited recent cases solved.
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New records detail Arizona Flock camera misuse...
youtube.com
Apache Junction Police internal affairs records detail how former Officer Joshua McDaniel admitted using Flock camera data to search for his wife’s license plate during marital troubles.
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Thomas Massie Moves to Defund Flock Camera Networks
yahoo.com
Rep. Thomas Massie announced plans to introduce a bill conditioning federal DHS, DOJ, and highway grants on jurisdictions not deploying Flock Safety or similar mass license plate reader systems. No bill text exists yet. The piece also describes Rep. Tim Burchett's Protection Against Mass Surveillance Act, a defeated ALPR funding amendment, and the Surveillance Accountability Act requiring warrants for facial recognition.
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In one California town, Flock misread license plates in 71% of the alerts it sent to police
businessinsider.com
Public records obtained from the Roseville, California police department show that of 1,427 Flock alerts flagging vehicles as stolen or felony-related in 2023 and 2024, a department analysis found 71% involved misread plates. Records document missed vehicles, blurry images, and delayed alerts, with repeated complaints to Flock. Flock attributed problems to Roseville's atypical camera setup; state lawmakers called for a reliability review.
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Map Shows Cities That Have Rejected, Deactivated Flock Cameras
newsweek.com
Drawing on DeFlock's crowd-sourced data, Newsweek counts 95 cities that have rejected ALPR systems: 22 deactivating cameras, 47 canceling contracts, and 25 turning down proposed agreements. Ypsilanti, Michigan is identified as the only jurisdiction with an outright ban. Officials cited privacy risk, federal data access, and inadequate public consultation.
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California cops are breaking surveillance laws. Who's going to stop them?
sfstandard.com
The Attorney General's office has sent warning letters to at least twenty California agencies since June 2024 without going to court, and agencies kept sharing anyway. The California Highway Patrol ran an April search across 845 ALPR systems labeled "ICE case," and Sacramento County logged searches marked "DEA Assist" and "ATF" months after being warned.