Lawmakers, Cities Push Back Against Flock License-Plate Cameras

Rep. Thomas Massie announced on social media in late July that he will introduce legislation to withhold federal funding from municipalities and police departments that deploy automated license plate reader systems, including cameras made by Flock Safety. The proposal follows a wave of local actions and public protests over the technology.

Local governments have suspended, ended or paused contracts in response to resident concerns. The Los Angeles Police Department suspended its partnership with Flock over questions about privacy, data sharing, security and contract terms. Monroe County, Indiana voted to end its contract a year early. Leon County, Florida paused funding for additional cameras while officials review collection and retention policies. Fresno residents packed a community forum to urge removal of cameras; police defended the systems as helpful in homicide and shooting investigations.

A legal nonprofit reviewed cases it says show misuse of plate-reader data, identifying more than two dozen incidents in which officers allegedly used the systems to track current or former romantic partners. Prosecutors in Milwaukee charged an officer in February in one such allegation; an internal affairs detective who investigated that matter was later arrested on related accusations. Privacy advocates also report that agencies queried plate databases during protests and in an abortion-related inquiry in Texas that was initially described as a missing-person case.

Activists have targeted cameras directly. Over June and July, people across multiple states spray-painted, taped over, disabled and destroyed devices. At least 33 incidents across 23 states were documented. Online communities circulated maps of camera locations and guidance on avoiding or obstructing devices. Authorities opened criminal investigations and several individuals now face charges for alleged vandalism.

Flock Safety, founded in 2017 and based in Atlanta, sells internet-connected cameras that photograph vehicles, read license plates and use computer vision to record vehicle features such as make, model, color and distinguishing marks. Participating law enforcement agencies can query Flock’s database, set alerts for vehicles of interest, recover stolen vehicles and search for missing people. The company states its systems do not use facial recognition and that images are typically retained about 30 days unless local rules require a different retention period.

Flock’s CEO Garrett Langley apologized after earlier describing anti-surveillance activists as a “terroristic organization.” “My comments were a mistake, and I apologize,” he wrote, adding that the company has been listening to critics and is trying to balance public safety and privacy.

Lawmakers and local officials continue to debate rules for automated license plate readers, including limits on data access, retention periods and whether federal dollars should fund the technology. Reviews of contracts and legislative proposals are ongoing.