Flock Tightens License-Plate Surveillance Rules

Flock Safety is tightening controls on its automated license-plate reader network after reports of police misuse, lawsuits, community opposition, and civil-liberties criticism.

The changes include reducing default data retention from 30 days to seven, requiring search case codes and audit tools, adding agency control over some interagency access, and introducing lockouts for anomalous activity. Privacy advocates argue that evidence-preservation exceptions, existing contracts, and broad access arrangements may still enable long-term movement tracking without independent legal oversight.