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Last Update: 09/22/2026 at 11:34 PM EST
Flock Cameras Test Public Surveillance Limits
Coverage from Daily Pilot, Gainesville Public Information Services, and others
Flock Safety automated license plate readers are expanding across U.
S. communities while local officials, residents, and privacy advocates challenge how the systems collect, retain, and share vehicle-location data. Police and the company cite benefits for crime investigations and missing-person cases, while critics point to networked tracking, immigration-related access, misuse incidents, and limited oversight. Cities and states are responding through contract changes, suspensions, removals, proposed federal restrictions, and new rules governing placement, retention, and authorized use.
Key Articles3 of 145 articles
If you read one thing
It provides a broad, evidence-rich overview of Flock's investigative uses, persistent tracking risks, documented misuse, and divergent municipal responses.
The counter-case
It presents the strongest case for retaining Flock systems by documenting investigative results alongside proposed privacy and usage limits.
The evidence
It grounds the broader debate in concrete evidence about immigration-access concerns, massive image capture, misuse risks, and Washington safeguards.
Key Issues
Local cameras create network-wide access
Flock deployments feed searchable systems that extend vehicle-location data beyond the jurisdiction that collected it. South Florida, Connecticut, Washington, and Delaware reporting shows that local networks can support regional, nationwide, and federal searches.
Stable
Municipal responses are diverging
Local governments are pursuing opposing responses: some are removing, suspending, defunding, or restricting cameras, while others renew contracts or continue networks for investigative purposes. Florida's roadway restriction reduced some deployments but left many local and private-road systems operating.
Mixed
Misuse allegations make oversight concrete
Unauthorized personal searches, activist and protest-related queries, false alerts, and immigration-authority access demonstrate operational risks from insider misuse and secondary access. Agencies are adding audits, search rules, penalties, and sharing pauses, but enforcement and disclosure remain uneven.
Stable
Safeguards remain fragmented
State and local measures address retention, permitted uses, sensitive locations, warrants, access, and roadside deployment, but leave substantial networks outside a uniform framework. Washington provides defined controls, Florida's restriction is partial, and federal guardrails remain unsettled.
Stable
Key Numbers
21 days
maximum ALPR data-retention period
“The law limits ALPR use to gross misdemeanors and felony offenses, prohibits use for immigration enforcement and in sensitive locations such as schools, places of worship, and medical facilities, limits data retention to 21 days, and requires oversight and accountability. It also requires a warrant for police to obtain information from privately owned ALPR cameras.”
30 days
deadline for law enforcement agencies to remove automated license plate readers
“Florida drivers may soon see fewer automated license plate readers monitoring state highways after the Florida Department of Transportation revoked existing permits for the devices and gave law enforcement agencies 30 days to remove them from state highway rights-of-way.”
98% percent
surveillance devices concentrated on private property or local roads
“The Florida order does not affect cameras installed on private property or local roads, where DeSantis says 98% of surveillance devices are concentrated.”
more than 1,000 cameras
Flock cameras operating in southern Florida
“The southern Florida region had more than 1,000 Flock cameras in operation, including approximately 372 in Miami-Dade and 863 in Broward, according to the independent DeFlock map.”
about 2,400 cameras
license plate reader cameras in South Florida
“DeFlock, an open-source mapping project, identified about 2,400 cameras in South Florida, with roughly 70% to 75% operated by Flock Safety.”
Contested Issue
Should municipalities continue Flock ALPR programs because their investigative benefits outweigh privacy, access, and misuse risks?
The corpus contains a substantive policy disagreement. Supporters and police officials cite investigative leads, recovered property, crime alerts, and reduced theft, while arguing that retention limits, audits, warrants, and access restrictions can mitigate risks. Opponents argue that indiscriminate vehicle-location collection, nationwide or federal access, false alerts, and documented insider misuse make the risks unacceptable even with safeguards.
Retain with safeguards
Continue or renew Flock deployments because they provide useful investigative leads and public-safety results, while retention limits, audits, and access controls can reduce associated risks.
End or prohibit deployment
Disable, cancel, or prohibit Flock programs because broad vehicle-location collection, cross-jurisdictional and immigration-related access, inaccurate alerts, and documented insider misuse create unacceptable privacy and civil-liberties risks.
Looking Back
239 Day Timeline
Jan 22
Mar 5
Apr 9
May 21
Jul 2
Aug 6
Sep 17
The Story So Far
No material change
The new articles largely reiterate the existing picture of uneven local responses, limited Florida restrictions, pervasive surveillance reach, and misuse concerns without establishing a materially new development.
Previously
Flock Safety automated license plate readers are expanding across U.S. communities while officials, residents and civil-liberties groups challenge how the systems collect, retain and share vehicle-location data. Police departments cite vehicle theft investigations, violent-crime cases and missing-person recoveries, while critics focus on nationwide search capabilities, immigration-enforcement access, misuse risks and the ability to reconstruct lawful movements. Local contract votes and state and federal proposals are producing uneven safeguards rather than a single national policy.
History
09/17/2026
The story now emphasizes concrete governance responses rather than expansion alone, including implemented restrictions on camera placement, retention, access, and permitted uses. It also adds more specific misuse allegations and identifies immigration-related sharing as a particularly prominent flashpoint.
09/09/2026
The story shifts modestly from general debate toward concrete, divergent local responses, including suspensions, nonrenewals, removals from grant programs, and tighter access agreements. Reported misuse is also framed as increasing pressure for audits and clearer governance, though the underlying privacy concerns remain consistent.
All Articles145 articles
Important
Costa Mesa City Council renewed a Flock Safety automated license plate reader contract in 2027, while residents challenged retention, data sharing, and surveillance concerns.
7/23/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Costa Mesa, California, will vote on July 21 whether to end its Flock Safety ALPR contract after concerns about surveillance and SB 34 limits on ALPR data sharing.
6/18/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
University of Florida students protested Flock Safety automatic license plate readers in Gainesville after Florida ordered roadway devices removed and police misuse cases raised privacy concerns.
9/17/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
In 2025, bipartisan officials and lawmakers across the United States pursued restrictions on automated license plate readers over concerns that government agencies could track vehicle movements without warrants.
9/15/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tennessee communities are debating Flock Safety surveillance deployments in 2025, as Sullivan County ends its contract while other jurisdictions retain the technology.
9/8/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Renton Police paused and restricted Flock Safety automated license plate readers in 2026 after federal searches and Washingtons Driver Privacy Act imposed new controls.
9/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tennessee lawmakers and Knox County officials are reconsidering expanding Flock camera networks after concerns that automated vehicle tracking could create warrantless mass surveillance.
8/6/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida residents and officials are challenging Flock Safety automated license-plate readers in communities statewide over movement tracking, data misuse, and inadequate oversight.
8/3/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Delaware police agencies are expanding automated license plate reader use across the state, prompting privacy advocates to seek restrictions on tracking, sharing and searches.
7/30/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Troy residents challenged Flock Safety license plate cameras in New York in 2025, while Mayor Carmella Mantello retained the system after a council cancellation vote.
7/30/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
The Taos Town Council voted July 28 in Taos, New Mexico, to end $54,000 in police funding for Flock Safety license plate cameras amid privacy and data-sharing concerns.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Connecticut municipalities reviewed or ended Flock Safety license-plate reader deployments in 2025 amid resident concerns about nationwide data access and surveillance.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Knox County officials challenged Flock Safety license plate readers, citing privacy, retention, and warrantless mass-surveillance risks, while Georgia charges and Washington regulation shaped the debate.
7/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Bluffton reported damaged Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras as South Carolina lawmakers considered limits amid privacy and surveillance disputes.
7/27/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
West Virginia Freedom Caucus members plan to reintroduce the Fourth Amendment Restoration Act after municipal deployment of Flock Safety license plate cameras.
7/27/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety automated license plate readers are debated in multiple U.S. political arenas as critics cite retention periods, broad access, and alleged misuse.
7/24/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Irmo, South Carolina plans to expand Flock Safety license plate cameras while lawmakers debate audit policies, access controls, and 90-day data storage.
7/18/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Milford residents protested the Milford Police Department use of Flock cameras in Ohio on Friday over privacy concerns and a 30 day retention policy.
7/17/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Los Angeles Police Department declined to renew a Flock Safety ALPR contract amid privacy and civil-rights concerns about vehicle tracking data in the United States.
7/16/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Yakima City Council voted to draft an ordinance within 90 days to apply Washington Senate Bill 6002 limits to live Flock license plate cameras in Yakima.
7/13/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Berkeley deployed Flock Safety automated license plate readers starting in 2024 with real-time alerts for stolen vehicles, prompting Fourth Amendment and security objections.
7/13/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Joshua Thomas of Flock Safety defended Cleveland’s contract renewal for 100 license plate reader cameras during a City Club of Cleveland forum.
7/11/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Harris County commissioners voted on a revised Flock camera contract in Houston after residents cited surveillance and privacy concerns, while police investigated camera destruction.
7/10/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Fort Wayne City Council delayed July 28 consideration of a Flock Safety contract renewal for license plate readers amid requested privacy oversight as related technology expands.
6/27/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety ALPR cameras in the United States scan license plates and vehicle features, prompting privacy concerns despite claims of limited biometrics and 30-day deletion.
6/18/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Cleveland, Ohio considers June 1 legislation to extend a Flock Safety license-plate reader contract amid audits showing widespread police searches, including immigration-related queries.
5/22/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Bend, Oregon will consider adding Axon stationary ALPR cameras after public pressure over privacy, surveillance, and potential federal immigration access, with encrypted safeguards tied to SB 1516.
5/22/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tallahassee and Leon County, Florida expanded school-zone speed cameras and license plate readers as privacy and due-process concerns increased.
5/22/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
South Portland, Maine police seek $4,000 for an additional Flock Safety automatic license plate reader as privacy advocates raise location-tracking and access concerns.
5/11/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Colorado cities and state lawmakers are weighing limits on Flock Safety ALPR after false plate matches and alleged data-sharing with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
4/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Stanford faculty members call for cancellation of Flock ALPR cameras after reports of out-of-state use and a county policy banning the vendor.
4/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
New Bedford residents and the ACLU of Massachusetts challenged the citys Flock Safety camera system at a July 28 meeting in New Bedford over location tracking and data sharing.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety automated license plate reader systems face growing privacy opposition from U.S. lawmakers and civil liberties groups amid concerns about mass vehicle data collection.
7/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
West Virginia Freedom Caucus lawmakers plan a renewed statewide ban on AI surveillance tools while the ACLU sues Huntington over a Flock Safety contract.
7/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley apologized amid anti-Flock surveillance backlash, while DeFlock mapped camera locations and highlighted vehicle data retention rules across multiple U.S. states.
7/17/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Kenton County Police Department requested Fiscal Court approval for automated license plate readers at park entrances and the jail parking lot, facing privacy and constitutional objections.
7/15/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Cleveland City Council planned a deciding vote in 2026 on renewing a Flock Safety license plate reader program amid civil liberties and privacy disputes.
7/15/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Cook County commissioners debated Tom Dart's contracts for additional license plate readers and AI jail surveillance, with opponents citing privacy misuse and vendor oversight concerns.
5/13/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Richmond city council weighs extending Flock Safety contract in December amid privacy concerns.
3/4/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
State officials, lawmakers, and local communities in Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, California, and Tennessee are restricting automated license plate readers in 2025 over concerns about warrantless vehicle tracking.
9/12/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida transportation officials revoked license-plate reader permits before the November gubernatorial election, prompting Byron Donalds, David Jolly, and Ron DeSantis to demand privacy-focused state legislation.
9/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered removal of Flock automated license plate reader permits on state roads, prompting Central Florida agencies to suspend networks over privacy and accountability concerns.
9/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Michigan House lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation in Lansing to regulate automated license plate reader data used by police and private entities across the state.
8/31/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Manatee County commissioners unanimously rejected new Flock Safety license plate reader installations during a Florida county board meeting, citing privacy and surveillance concerns.
8/27/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Grafton and East Bridgewater police in Massachusetts terminated Flock Safety contracts Friday after local backlash over license plate reader privacy, access, oversight, and misuse risks.
8/23/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida activists planned a Saturday evening rally in Davie to demand cancellation of Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras over alleged privacy and accountability failures.
8/22/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Roanoke residents protested Flock camera technology Monday night outside City Hall, urging city leaders to end the surveillance contract over privacy, accuracy, and accountability concerns.
8/18/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
East Bridgewater residents challenged police deployment of four Flock Safety license plate cameras at a Monday Town Hall forum, prompting officials to review suspension and cancellation options.
8/16/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tennessee politicians and communities are resisting expanded automated license plate reader deployments amid concerns about mass surveillance, data retention, immigration access, and civil liberties.
8/14/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
In July 2026, Irmo Town Council approved expanding Flock license plate surveillance from 11 to 33 cameras amid South Carolina concerns about misuse, retention and oversight.
8/11/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tennessee law enforcement agencies use automated license plate readers in Bristol and Johnson City as residents object and Congressman Tim Burchett proposes federal access restrictions.
8/4/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tennessee law enforcement agencies are expanding automated license plate reader deployments across Knoxville, Chattanooga, and nearby counties, intensifying 2020s disputes over vehicle tracking and privacy.
8/3/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Monroe County residents petitioned Tennessee local governments in 2026 to restrict Flock Safety, Axon, and similar networked license plate surveillance systems.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Middle Tennessee law enforcement agencies expanded Flock Safety license plate surveillance in 2020s investigations, prompting Lebanon residents and Representative Tim Burchett to challenge privacy and Fourth Amendment implications.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Taos Council voted July 28 in Taos, New Mexico, to reallocate $54,000 and end funding for Flock Safety license plate surveillance cameras over privacy and data misuse concerns.
7/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
New Hanover County commissioners seek more information on Flock license plate readers after a pilot expanded statewide planning for permanent use.
7/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
A petition urges Chesterfield County, Virginia to end a Flock Safety ALPR contract and remove cameras, citing warrantless searchable travel data and alleged security vulnerabilities.
7/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Carl Gunn protested a Flock Safety automated license plate reader in St. Petersburg, Florida, raising concerns about continuous vehicle scanning and law enforcement data access.
7/27/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Stoughton, Massachusetts residents asked the City Council to cancel the Flock Safety contract and end AI-enhanced mass surveillance after concerns about warrantless tracking and vendor substitution.
7/25/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Gulf County, Florida residents submit a petition to remove Flock mass-surveillance cameras over license-plate privacy, retention, and misuse concerns.
7/23/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Residents petition Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County against Flock Safety ALPRs, citing lack of consent and continuous vehicle location tracking.
7/18/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Los Alamos County Council approved Flock license plate readers and speed cameras in Los Alamos, New Mexico, sparking concerns about automated vehicle tracking, retention limits, and oversight.
7/17/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Springfield residents on June 30 urged the city to end its Flock ALPR camera contract amid concerns about immigration-enforcement use, audit oversight, and security vulnerabilities.
6/30/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Appleton, Wisconsin asked Flock Safety to verify ALPR camera disablement through July 31 amid concerns about privacy rights, alleged data misuse, and proposed oversight requirements.
6/25/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Conroe City Council on June 11 reviewed Flock automated license plate recognition privacy safeguards after questions about facial recognition and data retention.
6/15/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Conroe Police Chief Jon Buckholtz defended Flock Safety automated license plate readers at a City Council meeting after residents questioned privacy and public access to stored vehicle data.
6/12/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Dayton, Ohio, covered Flock automated license plate reader cameras with trash bags in response to resident complaints and uncertainty about contract-based deactivation and removal.
5/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Chandler, Arizona residents comment at City Hall as the city council votes on renewing its Flock Safety license plate reader contract amid consent and immigration data access concerns.
5/21/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Renton City Council paused Flock ALPR use on May 4 as Chief Jon Schuldt cited Washington SB 6002 limits on retention, sharing, and prohibited uses.
5/19/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Saratoga City Council reviewed Flock Safety automated license plate readers on April 9, challenging 30-day deletion and AI-training retention claims and raising security concerns linked to reported account theft.
4/15/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Richmond City Council considers reactivating Flock ALPRs on March 3 2026 in Richmond California.
3/5/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Richmond city council vote on extending Flock Safety ALPR contract after December 2025 data access incident in Richmond, California.
3/3/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Mountain View City Council votes February 2025 to terminate Flock Safety ALPR contract over privacy and data security concerns in Mountain View, California.
2/25/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety license plate readers installed at Los Angeles State Historic Park in late 2024 raise privacy and data access concerns about mass surveillance and law enforcement use.
2/24/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
U.S. cities including Flagstaff and Santa Cruz are ending Flock Safety license plate reader contracts in 2025 over data sharing and immigration surveillance concerns.
2/19/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Multiple U.S. cities ended Flock Safety license plate reader contracts in 2025-2026 over national data sharing and immigration enforcement access concerns.
2/17/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
New Bedford City Council members voted Tuesday in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to seek temporary removal or covering of 20 Flock cameras after alleged police misuse raised privacy concerns.
8/27/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Westland Police Department will not renew a Flock Safety license-plate reader camera contract after a July 9 statement citing division within the Michigan city council.
7/10/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Michigan lawmakers introduced HB 5492 and HB 5493 to limit ALPR data retention and sharing after privacy concerns about Flock cameras used by local police.
7/24/2026 • Regulation, Law & Enforcement • General
Cleveland City Council advanced a 5-2 vote for a six-month renewal of Flock Safety license plate readers, balancing violent-crime claims against mass-surveillance and access-control concerns.
7/8/2026 • Regulation, Law & Enforcement • General
New Bedford residents challenged the city's Flock Safety license plate reader program at a July 28 meeting in New Bedford, Massachusetts, citing privacy and oversight concerns.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
EFFector Issue 11 reports expansive ALPR surveillance by police and a Meta change removing facial recognition code from Meta AI.
6/10/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
EFF supported Will Freeman in the US in a dispute over DeFlock.me, which maps automated license plate readers collecting vehicle location data.
6/2/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida's transportation department revoked local police approvals for license plate readers on state highway rights-of-way after officials cited surveillance growth, misuse risks, and data privacy concerns.
8/31/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida transportation officials ordered removal of authorized license plate readers from state roads on August 31, prompting Miami-Dade and Jacksonville suspensions amid privacy and misuse concerns.
9/6/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida's Department of Transportation ordered South Florida law enforcement agencies to remove some license plate readers from state-system roads, leaving most regional cameras operating.
9/5/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida's Department of Transportation ordered law enforcement agencies to remove certain license plate readers across South Florida, but most cameras remain active outside affected state-connected roads.
9/5/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florida transportation officials restricted state-funded automated license plate reader deployments on August 28 and 31 in Texas and Florida.
9/2/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Transportation revoked permits for automated license plate readers on Florida state highways amid concerns about government tracking and data misuse.
9/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida transportation officials revoked permits for Flock license plate readers on state highway rights-of-way on Aug. 31, prompting Polk County to begin removing cameras while local surveillance continues elsewhere.
9/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida transportation officials revoked permits for roadside license plate readers, prompting Ponce Inlet and Volusia County agencies to suspend or review surveillance camera use across Florida.
9/17/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tennessee officials and lawmakers are debating automated license plate readers in Knoxville and Knox County as surveillance expansion prompts privacy and warrant concerns.
8/3/2026 • Regulation, Law & Enforcement • General
Fort Wayne City Council voted Tuesday not to renew the city contract for Flock license plate readers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, amid surveillance and privacy concerns.
8/25/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
A Yarmouth petition currently urges residents and local officials to reject Flock Safety cameras because location tracking and police misuse could undermine community privacy.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Harrisonburg City Council voted unanimously Tuesday in Harrisonburg, Virginia, to end the city contract with Flock Safety and deactivate its license plate surveillance systems Friday.
7/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Red Bay, Alabama police and city officials are addressing privacy concerns and policy plans for Flock Safety license plate reader cameras, following installation in 2024.
7/24/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Red Bay, Alabama, installed two Flock Safety license plate reader cameras in 2026 after January discussions, and city leaders plan ordinances amid resident privacy and surveillance concerns.
7/24/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Agawam councilor Christine Rickmon challenged Police Chief Eric Gillis about a Flock license plate reader contract after June 15 discussions, citing privacy and surveillance risks.
7/18/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Binghamton City Council considered ending a July 13 contract with Flock Safety after residents raised AI license plate reader privacy and wrongful stop concerns.
7/14/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Deflock Lansing community members gathered at Capital Area District Library in Lansing, Michigan on Sunday to urge Lansing City Council to cancel a Flock Safety contract.
7/13/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Harris County residents asked commissioners in Texas to cancel a Flock contract for license plate reading and sound detection during a public comment session.
7/9/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Springfield, Illinois City Council approved a Flock license plate reader contract extension on annual alderman data reporting, audits, and breach notification terms.
7/7/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Residents and activists have damaged Flock Safety license plate reader cameras in multiple U.S. states, prompting arrests and municipal removals tied to privacy concerns.
7/2/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Monongalia County, West Virginia, residents commented on Flock Safety automated license plate readers in a commission meeting amid concerns about data notice, security, and limited alert-based operation.
7/2/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Benn Jordan's adversarial decals and social media countermeasures highlight privacy and legal issues around Flock Safety ALPR camera data collection in the United States, including Florida.
6/27/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Casey Meadows-led Deflockroanoke campaign in Roanoke, Virginia prompted a pause on Flock camera installations after privacy and surveillance concerns.
6/26/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Tiverton Town Council voted 6-1 to expand Flock Safety cameras in Massachusetts, with residents citing Fourth Amendment and mass surveillance privacy concerns.
6/24/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Residents in Panama City, Florida, plan a June 26 protest against Flock Safety AI license plate reader cameras used by local police.
6/20/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Madison County commissioners in North Carolina limited public comment on Flock automated license plate readers while residents challenged privacy and records transparency.
6/12/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Neenah, Wisconsin police leadership defended Flock Safety license-plate cameras at a committee meeting amid resident concerns about data sharing and alleged misuse.
6/10/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Livingston County residents and officials debated Flock traffic cameras and license plate readers on May 26 amid concerns about monitoring and privacy risks in Michigan.
6/3/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Cleveland City Council will vote Monday on continuing Flock Safety cameras with automated license plate readers after concerns about mass surveillance and immigration enforcement access.
6/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Boulder residents sued Boulder Police over deployment of 31 Flock Safety cameras, alleging warrantless mass vehicle tracking and seeking a warrant requirement.
5/30/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Troy, New York, residents and city leaders dispute Flock AI license plate cameras after concerns about surveillance, transparency, and reported ICE use.
5/19/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
A national April 9, 2026 survey of 1,000 U.S. adults links conditional public support for license plate readers to transparency, retention limits, and restricted government use.
5/14/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Newport, Rhode Island officials discussed a Flock Safety license plate reader camera pilot in response to privacy and data access concerns raised at a commissioners meeting.
5/13/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Newport, Kentucky, commissioners held a police-camera briefing with Flock Safety amid resident concerns about license-plate data collection and retention.
5/12/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Newport, Ohio residents raised data privacy concerns about Flock Safety automatic license plate cameras during a public meeting at Newport City Hall on Monday.
5/12/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety vehicle traffic cameras used by Michigan law enforcement store license plate data in cloud systems for up to 30 days, drawing privacy regulation calls.
5/11/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Hamtramck, Michigan approved additional Flock license plate readers after resident objections raised concerns about surveillance and personal information collection.
5/2/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety faced privacy and constitutional-rights criticism in Springfield after rally-linked tickets, while police stated camera data retention lasts 30 days.
4/22/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Harrisonburg residents and Justice Forward Foundation challenged Flock Safety automatic license plate reader cameras after privacy and data security concerns and a police arrest-assistance claim dated April 15.
4/21/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Troy, Michigan residents protested a Flock license-plate camera contract as Mayor Carmella Mantello funded it via a public safety emergency after council-ordered payment pauses.
4/3/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
In Valdosta, Georgia, a student report and Deflock.me listing helped identify Flock Safety ALPR cameras, prompting privacy debate on campus from late 2025 to March 2026.
3/31/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Fort Collins will discuss Flock Safety ALPR cameras Feb. 24 after residents raised privacy concerns about location tracking and data sharing in Fort Collins, Colorado.
2/21/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Pittsboro residents raise privacy concerns about Flock cameras collecting movement and license plate data since January 2024 in Pittsboro, North Carolina, due to data sharing practices.
2/11/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Flock Safety ended its acoustic Distress Detection pilot after EFF warned the feature could enable unlawful audio surveillance and increase risks during police responses, including in Chicago.
7/17/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida sheriffs are removing hundreds of Flock Safety automated license plate readers from state roads after the Florida Department of Transportation revoked permits amid data privacy concerns.
9/2/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered local law enforcement agencies to remove automated license plate readers from state roads within 30 days, citing surveillance and misuse risks.
9/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida transportation officials revoked local law enforcement approvals for automated license plate readers on state highways, requiring removal within 30 days across affected roadway sites.
9/1/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Northeast Florida sheriff's offices are discontinuing automated license plate readers after the Florida Department of Transportation revoked roadway permits and cited surveillance and privacy concerns.
8/31/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Florida's Department of Transportation ordered local law enforcement agencies to remove permitted license plate reader cameras from state roads within 30 days, citing privacy and surveillance concerns.
8/31/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
On August 31, 2026, the Florida Department of Transportation banned Flock Safety and other automated license plate reader systems on state roads statewide over privacy, misuse, and surveillance concerns.
9/2/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Interesting
Troy City Council drafted an ALPR ordinance in Troy, New York, to limit license-plate data retention and reporting, after conflict with Mayor Carmella Mantello over the Flock contract.
5/17/2026 • Regulation, Law & Enforcement • General
On April 27, 2026, Bishop City Council discussed Flock ALPR surveillance technology, focusing on data control, facial recognition limits, and retention constraints.
4/30/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
In Georgia during December 2025, Georgia State Patrol ticketed a motorcyclist using data from a Flock Safety automated license plate reader, prompting privacy-mission-creep concerns reported by 404 Media.
3/26/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Cheyenne residents debate privacy and police use of Flock ALPR cameras installed in 2025
2/28/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Cabell County, West Virginia, officials stated no countywide Flock Safety AI cameras while EMS presented a PulsePoint Respond emergency-alert proposal during a commissioners meeting.
7/24/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Harris County commissioners renewed a Flock license plate-reading camera contract through June 2027 after privacy concerns were raised at a public meeting.
5/29/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Oakland County commissioners debated a Flock Safety drone pilot for Oakland County Sheriff's Office 911 responses in 2020s-era public meetings, after a nine-month approval and amid license plate reader privacy concerns.
5/11/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Windsor town council pauses ALPR use in Windsor Connecticut to reassess privacy protections.
2/19/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Cochise County officials in January move to block Flock Safety license plate reader cameras over privacy concerns.
1/22/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Massachusetts senators proposed speed cameras for selected city roads and highways in 2026, prompting privacy and racial-equity concerns over automated monitoring.
7/29/2026 • Regulation, Law & Enforcement • General
Troy New York weighs renewing the Flock license plate reader system amid privacy concerns over data storage and footage access.
3/14/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General
Richmond city council to decide Tuesday night whether to shut down or reactivate the flock license plate reader system in Richmond California.
3/3/2026 • Data Collection & Surveillance Practices • General