A growing number of cities and counties across the United States are turning away from Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras, as concerns over privacy, police misuse and the sharing of vehicle-location data fuel a nationwide backlash. At least 56 cities and towns have deactivated, rejected or canceled Flock contracts in 2026 alone, according to a tally by national advocacy group DeFlock. While there is no central government database tracking local decisions, Newsweek's map, based on data from the Institute of Justice and Unsurveilled.Org, as well as local reporting, shows the decisions taken against Flock in towns and counties across the U.S.
The backlash intensified this summer after a series of investigations and police misconduct cases raised new questions about who can search Flock's nationwide network and how that information can be used. Flock operates a vast network of automated license plate readers that record passing vehicles' plates and other characteristics. Law enforcement agencies can use the system to search for vehicles associated with investigations, and Flock's network allows data to be searched across participating jurisdictions.
Supporters say the cameras have helped solve crimes and locate missing people. Critics say the system amounts to warrantless mass surveillance and creates a detailed record of Americans' movements. Now, communities that once embraced the technology are reconsidering it.
The latest high-profile departure came Wednesday in Tempe, Arizona. The city announced that it had turned off its Flock automated license plate reader system and would end its contract with the company. The cameras are no longer collecting license plate data, and Tempe said it will not seek another company to replace the system.
The city's police department said its Flock system had helped solve crimes but acknowledged the broader concerns raised by misuse of automated license plate readers in Arizona and around the country. Tempe said it had found no evidence that its own Flock system had been misused. Previously collected data will generally be deleted after 30 days unless it is tied to an ongoing case or investigation.
The decisions have accelerated in Texas. On Tuesday, Pflugerville's City Council unanimously voted to terminate its agreement with Flock and deactivate all 28 of its cameras. The decision followed revelations that hundreds of outside organizations had accessed data collected by the city's cameras.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
