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.
36 articles · page 2 of 2 · RSS
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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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Sen. Josh Hawley introduces bill aimed at stopping abuse of Flock cameras and similar AI technology
cbsnews.com
Sen. Josh Hawley is introducing the STOP Flock Abuse Act, which would bar local governments from selling or sharing vehicle data, require deletion of driver data within 10 days absent a criminal investigation, ban facial recognition on these networks, and mandate written approval and audit logs for searches. The bill follows a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing that Flock, Axon, Motorola and Verkada declined to attend.
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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.
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California police illegally share license plate reader data with ICE and Border Patrol
calmatters.org
Records obtained by Oakland Privacy showed California agencies breaking SB 34 more than 100 times in a single month by running plate searches for ICE and Customs and Border Protection, including the LAPD and the San Diego, Orange, and Riverside county sheriffs. Of 491,000 queries analyzed, more than 64,000 gave only a vague reason such as "investigation."
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VICTORY! California Department of Justice Declares Out-of-State Sharing of License Plate Data Unlawful
eff.org
Attorney General Rob Bonta issued guidance confirming that SB 34 bars California police from sharing license plate data with out-of-state or federal agencies. EFF notes agencies had been sharing with hundreds of out-of-state agencies, including in states restricting abortion, and with CBP and ICE, and that over 99.9% of collected data connects to no crime.
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Flock Is Canceled—And Its Competitors Are Profiting
motherjones.com
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the revocation of all law enforcement license-plate-recognition permits on state highways, and Texas ordered state agencies to stop funding Flock cameras. Secure Justice counted 90 of 214 total municipal Flock cancellations in August 2026 alone. Advocates warn that targeting one vendor leaves competitors such as Motorola, Rekor, and Axon to fill the gap, with Rekor calling for national rules including warrants for some plate searches.