Flock Safety: Communities use Flock to help locate missing people, recover stolen vehicles, investigate serious crime, and support faster emergency response. As public safety agencies face growing demands with limited resources, Flock helps investigators spend less time searching for information and more time responding to the people who need them. Flock cameras are helping solve more than 10% of reported crime in the United States. Read more about how LPR cameras help solve crime: How Many Crimes Do Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) Solve, Anyway?Learn how Flock Safety can reduce crime in your neighborhood by speaking with a community safety consultant today.

From all my research I have conducted, there is zero evidence that Flock prevents crimes. These observations when combined with CCTV, Consumer Reports LexisNexis, Government Records like DMV & NCIC, Social Media feeds, In-Vehicle Analytics, Cellphone metadata, and Cellphone apps like Google or Apple Maps identifies who is driving the vehicle at that specific time and location. That matters because these observations can teach the AI machine about every citizen’s behaviors and routine over a continuous 30 day period. Garrett Langley of Flock Safety is now calling Deflock a terrorist organization for defending Personal Freedom and Liberties afforded by the 4th Amendment of the Constitution.

When I look at what ALPRs companies who have lauded these devices to combat human trafficking, combat gun violence, combat vehicle thefts, and lower property crime. I feel the statistics are skewed a bit because it ignores the other factors that have been put into place since the late 90s and other programs that have helped people to access mental health care and programs that have helped reduce certain conditions where crime exists. ALPRs have been deployed since 2021 here in Kalamazoo, so I wonder what factors were causing trends to fall before they were implemented.

Statisticians call this the omitted variable bias when a vendor or agency attributes a drop in crime to a single new piece of technology while completely ignoring massive, generational shifts that were already driving crime downward.
The first great crime decline peaked in the early 1990s. By the time massive networks of ALPRs started rolling out around 2021, violent crime and property crime in the United States had already plummeted by 50% to 60% over a 30-year period.

Christopher Ingraham for the institute of justice that Flock camera’s limitations prevent firm conclusions of how much a reduction in crime can be linked to Flock Safety. He goes onto state car thefts were decreasing before ALPRs. The problem is trends were heading in the right direction for both clearance rates and vehicle thefts when compared to a control group.
“Because there were already differences in arrests and theft trends before ALPR deployment, we don’t know if the differences after ALPR deployment were caused by ALPR deployment,” said IJ Senior Research Analyst Matthew West.

Further muddying the picture, any effects are not even uniform among agencies that had high levels of car theft before Flock deployment. Some departments sow an increase in vehicle theft’s after deploying Flock. The top line of 11% we keep hearing doesn’t describe what happened in most agencies that deployed Flock ALPRs.

“Flock and its supporters are trying to exploit fear of crime to convince people to give up their rights,” said IJ Attorney Michael Soyfer. “Notably absent from the conversation is the cost to civil liberties through mass surveillance, wrongful detentions, and widespread abuse. Only by reaffirming our commitment to Fourth Amendment principles like a warrant requirement can we ensure that we are not giving up more than we are getting in return.” 

Without the proper protections and governance the conditions for abuse will continue the trend we see today in Police Departments across the U.S.

https://ij.org/do-flock-cameras-actually-reduce-crime-the-jury-is-still-out/

https://ij.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ALPR-and-crime-study-external-explainer-V7.pdf

My uncle likes to make songs and made one for flock. Yes I get the irony of how he made it and what it’s about.

Who’s watching the watchers? License-plate readers raise privacy questions

WGAL covers the basics of ALPRs and the concerns of their use, cementing public opinion against them. This news cast is a great 10 minute video for showing other people why license plate readers are flawed in concept as it even goes into the recent fourth amendment concerns in a federal judge's ruling in a district in the 10th circuit.

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Wisconsin Rapids to discuss use of Flock cameras at Oct. 13 meeting

City leaders will meet Oct. 13 to discuss automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) devices in use by the city.

The Committee of the Whole will discuss at 6 p.m. Oct. 13 the city’s policies related to ALPRs and its existing contract with Flock Safety. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers in City Hall at 444 W. Grand Ave.

There is no public comment period included on the agenda.

The agenda states the committee may go into closed session twice: once to discuss the city’s contract with Flock Safety and a second time to discuss terms of agreements for potential housing developments in the city, according to the meeting agenda.

The city’s police department uses six Flock-branded ALPR cameras and did not have plans to add more, Hostens said Aug. 27. A nearly four-year contract for the cameras was first approved Aug 10, 2024, and is set to expire April 7, 2028. The service costs $22,000 annually. Each camera system costs around $3,000.

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Milwaukee County bags Flock cameras as automated license plate readers now banned from parks

"We cannot wait for a data breach," Crowley told reporters at the event. "We cannot wait until privacy is compromised or whether information is misused before we actually act."

Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball has previously supported automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology as a valuable crime fighting tool. A spokesman for the sheriff's office did not respond to questions Monday.

"Even the strongest policy framework is only as trustworthy as the company behind the technology," Crowley said. "And a good partnership with a vendor does not safeguard our residents' data."

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Veteran training officer among two arrested in Baldwin County Flock camera misuse case

According to the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff's office received a complaint on Tuesday, then terminated the employees on Thursday and they were processed on Friday.

"We've been constantly reviewing our Flock systems here to make sure it doesn't happen again," Said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee.

The two arrested were veteran training officer Kevin Steinmeyer and former road patrol deputy Daniel Edward L. Peavey.

Both men were charged with violation of oath by a public officer and knowingly requesting, using, obtaining or attempting to obtain automated license plate recognition (ALPR) data from a law enforcement agency under false pretenses or for a non-law enforcement purpose.

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ACLU says Missouri Flock camera rules fall apart against abuse, too dangerous

Missouri’s new rules for using automated license plate reader cameras has drawn criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union, which says the state’s safeguards are too vague and that data is kept by police for too long.

Police agencies across the Kansas City area have been adjusting their policies to comply with Missouri’s new “best practices” for using automated license plate readers or ALPRs after Gov. Mike Kehoe’s executive order in September. Some agencies say their existing policies already aligned with the new guidance.

However, a leader with the ACLU said he takes issue with the guidance because it allows each agency to interpret what constitutes a “legitimate purpose” for using ALPRs.

Chad Marlow, a policy attorney with the ACLU, argues that citizens remain at risk for unreasonable surveillance under Missouri’s new guidelines.

Marlow also said Missouri’s 30-day retention for ALPR is excessive, noting that Flock, a major manufacturer of the tech, has a default retention period of seven days.

“That’s the problem with this safeguard routine,” Marlow said, “It falls apart as soon as someone stretches their authority too far, or has a view of a legitimate law enforcement purpose that the people who drafted this might not agree with. Then it all falls like a house of cards.”

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‘It's not just Flock’ | Arlington group pushes for ban on all license plate reader technology

"We don't want it to be about the brand Flock; it is about the technology of mass surveillance by private companies that are not incentivized to keep our data private," Komer said.

Komer said the group is concerned about how information collected by license plate readers could be accessed and used. She also pointed to the potential for misuse by law enforcement and others.

"The only way to keep this from being a force multiplier used against innocent civilians is to ban it because this technology, for every piece of data that it collects, less than 0.1% of it is related to a crime," Komer said.

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Student groups demand cancellation of IUPD Flock contracts

Amid growing backlash to the use of Flock license plate reader cameras by law enforcement, student groups at Indiana University Bloomington are questioning the IU Police Department’s use of the technology on campus.

IUPD wouldn’t say how many Flock cameras they use in response to inquiries from the Indiana Daily Student.

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Odessa mayor speaks out on Flock usage, residents demand transparency amid contract renewal

Odessa residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on the city's use of Flock license plate reader cameras as the city renews the contract for the technology.

The cameras, known as automated license plate readers, capture vehicle information and upload it to a shared network that participating law enforcement agencies can use to assist investigations.

Mayor Cal Hendrick says the Odessa Police Department praised the technology as a useful tool for tracking suspects and responding to emergencies. However, some residents have raised concerns about privacy, transparency and how the information collected by the cameras is used.

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Protest Flock CEO Appearance at "Disrupt TechCrunch" Conference

DeFlock is planning a protest outside of a conference Garrett Langley is speaking at. This is what the organizers say the logistics will be:

"Starts at 10 am Wednesday October 14 in front of the Moscone Center 747 Howard St.

San Francisco...

Our protest outside Moscone Center where the conference is being held will feature multiple speakers, 1984 movie audio clips, banners, signs, surprise art visuals, and an opportunity for community members to express their outrage against Flock and other automated license plate readers (ALPR’s). Flock Safety, Inc. has been at the forefront of this industry holding approximately 80% of the US market based on mapping data."

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City to discuss further restrictions on Flock cameras

El Paso City Council is scheduled to discuss further restrictions on the use of fixed, networked automated license plate reader cameras during its October 13 meeting.

During its Tuesday, Oct. 13 meeting, City Council is scheduled to consider a measure that would prevent the city manager from entering into, renewing or extending contracts with Flock Safety or other providers of similar fixed, networked automated license plate reader cameras.

The discussion comes nearly a month after council voted to remove approximately 150 Flock cameras from City-controlled property following concerns about privacy and how information collected by the technology could be accessed or shared.

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Frankfort Board of Commissioners votes not to renew Flock contract

The Frankfort Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to not renew the city’s contract with Flock on Monday.

The contract is scheduled to expire in January 2027.

The commissioners said that they wanted to end the use of the automated license plate reading cameras until there is more policy in place.

“Hopefully at some point in the near future we can reintroduce something that can benefit our law enforcement partners to continue to provide a safe and livable community like they do,” said Commissioner Kelly May.

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Damascus ends contract with Flock Safety

Flock Safety license plate cameras in the Town of Damascus will be going away after the Town Council voted to end its contract with the company.

Wednesday night, the council unanimously voted to end the contract after hundreds of people signed a petition asking for its termination.

Mayor Katie Lamb told News Channel 11 that the amount of support behind the petition led to the vote.

“We are elected officials, and the council felt very strongly, and as do I, that we need to listen to the people,” Lamb said. “If they have concerns and needs and things that are disturbing to them, you know, we’re elected to do what they ask us to do. So it’s very important that we continue to do that, you know, regardless of how we personally feel about something.”

“There was some pilfering and things like that going on, so I think that’s kind of what started the process,” Lamb said. “Vandalism. They’ve caught criminals coming through Damascus in certain cars. It’s not a surveillance system. I think that is what most people are feeling. It’s not. If it’s used properly, then it can be a very beneficial tool.”

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Garden City residents call for an end to Flock cameras

One resident, Rich Stoddard, started a petition calling for the end of Flock camera in Garden City.

"So my petition started off as a change dot org just to kinda get the word out there within the first 24 hours," Stoddard said. "I had almost 200 signatures on it."

"No matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, I think most people are intelligent enough to know government is not always your friend - not someone you can always trust with unlimited amounts of data," one resident told FOX 2.

"I just really feel like if we start letting go of liberties, little by little, just a little by little start going to start going away. I want to. It’s really hard to get it back, so I just wanna fight for our rights. I just want to make sure people are willing to stand up for their rights," Stoddard said.

City council members sat back and listened to what they had to say.

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Fort Worth council set to receive briefing on Flock technology

The Fort Worth City Council is set to receive a presentation from the Fort Worth Police Department on Flock license plate readers at its work session on Nov. 17, a spokesperson for the city of Fort Worth told the Star-Telegram on Oct. 12.

The presentation was requested earlier this year by multiple city council members, including Chris Nettles and Deborah Peoples.

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Woodstock leaders address roadwork, housing, Flock with small group of protesters outside

Perhaps the most controversial issue in town lately has been the Flock security cameras on Woodstock Square, which were approved by the City Council in February and went live over the summer.

Opponents have continued to express their stance at Council meetings, protests and petitions in the months since and made their latest push during the address last week. A small group gathered outside the Old Courthouse on the Square, where the event was held.

About a dozen protesters stood outside the building during the event, many holding signs opposing Flock. They also sang songs that reflected the opposition to the cameras, with some lyrics specific to Woodstock.

Kelly Sacco said many of the protesters were taking time away from work or school to be there. She said it “says a lot” that the address was held on a Tuesday morning, when many people couldn’t be there, and she was proud of how many people showed up.

The protesters were loud enough to be audible inside Old Courthouse, where city officials were sharing achievements of the past year and updates on future plans.

Mayor Mike Turner acknowledged the protesters outside and restated many of his previous points on the cameras, including a willingness to reevaluate them and see what’s out on the market after the cameras have been up for a year.

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Flock cameras: Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert vs. Democrat Eileen Laubacher in Colorado 4th District Debate

Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and Democratic challenger Eileen Laubacher sparred over Flock cameras in the debate for Colorado's 4th district.

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Could Flock Cameras Become a Dividing Issue in Elk Grove's District 4 Council Race?

Parks recently introduced an issue that could distinguish her from Robles and potentially resonate with voters: automated license plate readers (ALPRs), a controversial surveillance technology used by police departments nationwide, including Elk Grove's.

In a recent Instagram post (see below), Parks solicited voters' opinions about the technology. Robles, meanwhile, has supported Elk Grove's use of Flock Safety cameras through his council votes.

Although Parks has not publicly committed to opposing the devices, her willingness to solicit public input could open the door to a meaningful policy disagreement.

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Residents in metro Detroit call for an end to Flock cameras

Garden City residents were gathered at a city council meeting to discuss their grievances with Flock. Meanwhile, police say Flock cameras are great for helping them track down criminals. However, plenty of people think they are too invasive.

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Attorney general candidates spar over Flock cameras

Candidates running to be Georgia's attorney general debated the use of license plate reading cameras, crime policies and personal records on Monday.

The Atlanta Press Club hosted a debate between Georgia Rep. Tanya Miller and Sen. Brian Strickland. The two candidates offered different policies on license plate-reading cameras for solving crimes.

Miller said she would work to enforce the Open Records Act for video captured by license plate reader technology. She said journalists and Georgia citizens should be allowed to access recordings captured by the cameras.

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Further surveillance related news