Flock & ALPR Cameras in California
At least 20,847 automated license plate readers have been reported across California — the 1st most-surveilled state in the country by camera count.
Updated Oct 6, 2026 · Live data
20,847 automated license plate readers have been reported in California as of October 6, 2026, ranking it #1 of 52 states and territories. They are documented in 908 cities and towns across 54 counties. 80 percent are Flock Safety cameras.
1,737 cameras were added to the California map in the last 30 days and 418 were removed. The most recent camera was reported on September 11, 2026. Rancho Cucamonga (279) has the most, followed by San Leandro (233) and San Diego (231).
217 operators are named in the records, including San Diego Police Department, California Highway Patrol (CHP), San Francisco Police Department. Source: community-mapped camera data (OpenStreetMap, ODbL) with DeFlock The USA’s permanent history.
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Every one of those 20,847 cameras photographs the plate of each car that passes it — logging where California drivers go, when, and how often, whether or not anyone is suspected of a crime. Here’s what that means, and what you can do about it.
Fullerton, CA — City Council Meeting 2026-10-06
Tuesday, October 6 — today · The full record → · Details at the source ↗
On the agenda: Lakeport meeting — Flock camera (Oct 7)
Wednesday, October 7 — tomorrow · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
On the agenda: Vallejo Regular Police Oversight & Accountability Commission Meeting — AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE (Oct 8)
Thursday, October 8 — in 2 days · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
- Oct 2, 2026 On the agenda: Belmont, CA Public Safety Committee - Oct 07, 2026 — ALPR (Oct 2)
- Sep 30, 2026 On the agenda: San Jose Joint Meeting for the Rules and Open Government Committee and Committee of the Whole — License Plate Reader (Sep 30)
- Sep 23, 2026 On the agenda: Muir Beach 2026-9-23 Board Meeting – Agenda — surveillance camera (Sep 23)
- Sep 22, 2026 On the agenda: San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting on 2026-09-22 10:00 AM - Sep 22, 2026 — surveillance camera (Sep 22)
Every record for this area on the Docket → · nothing is ever deleted.
- Oct 6 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 6 Motorola Solutions camera newly reported
- Oct 6 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 6 Flock Safety camera newly reported
Newly reported by volunteers — cameras may have been up long before someone mapped them.
📷 5 new license plate readers just reported around Grand Terrace, CA. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #GrandTerrace
📷 6 new license plate readers just reported around Spring Valley Lake, CA. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #SpringValleyLake
📷 12 new license plate readers just reported around Sunnyvale, CA. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #Sunnyvale
What these cameras actually do
Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) like those sold by Flock Safety aren’t normal traffic cameras. Each one reads every passing plate, stamps it with a time and location, and stores it in a searchable database — often shared across agencies. Across California, that’s 20,847 points quietly building a record of residents’ movements. See how the tech works and where your data goes.
How California compares
California ranks #1 of 52 states and territories by reported ALPR cameras — the most-surveilled in the nation. Nationwide, volunteers have mapped over 142,000 cameras and counting. Nearby by camera count: Georgia (10,050), Texas (17,158).
The latest from California
- RIGHT SPEAK: California Cops Are Using Flock Cameras To Spy On A Small Wisconsin Village; New WILL Lawsuit Targets Warrantless, No Limits Government Surveillance
- Police investigate after luxury clothing founders found dead at California home
- Federal Judge Rules Flock License Plate Search Unconstitutional After Cop Followed Woman Over California Plate
- The State Hornet Broadcast: Motor vehicle theft on the rise, license plate readers on campus, California Faculty Association rally and sports updates
- Marin County Sheriff's Office Shared Automated License Plate Reader Information with Outside Law Enforcement Agencies
On camera in California — each opens right here on DeFlock:
The conversation about California:
KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts,@[email protected]MastodonSouth Bay Judge Rules San José’s Flock Cameras Don’t Invade Privacy https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2026/10/05/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy/1 day ago
News Hub - A Home@thenewshub.bsky.socialBlueskywww.eff.org/deeplinks/20...3 days ago★ Our signal
DeFlock The USA@deflocktheusaBluesky📷 5 new license plate readers just reported around Grand Terrace, CA. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #GrandTerrace4 days ago
Gambit (He/Him)@gambit1.bsky.socialBlueskyWe keep shouting ACAB, because cops keep acting as though the law doesn't apply to them. When you defy courts and break the law to catch "the bad guys", YOU ARE THE BAD GUYS! www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/10...4 days ago
Electronic Frontier Foundation@eff.orgBlueskyEFF and @aclu-norcal.bsky.social have demanded records from the Marin County Sheriff’s Office following a news report that it has shared Flock data with out-of-state and federal agencies – a violation of the 2022 settlement of our lawsuit, and…4 days ago★ Our signalDeFlock The USA@deflocktheusa.bsky.socialBluesky📷 6 new license plate readers just reported around Spring Valley Lake, CA. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #SpringValleyLake5 days agoAll surveillance news → · All video & feeds →
What you can do in California
You don’t have to accept it — and you don’t have to be anti-safety to demand accountability. File a public records request to learn your town’s retention and data-sharing policy, speak up at a city-council meeting, and see the full playbook on our Take Action page.
Not sure what one looks like? See photographs of installed cameras before you go looking.
DeFlock SF — San Francisco, California
Fighting the dragnet in the city where police were caught illegally sharing plate data with federal agencies.
Join the fight ↗Pasadena Privacy (DeFlock Pasadena) — Pasadena, California
Neighborhood-level privacy organizing in the San Gabriel Valley.
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Burbank — Burbank, California
Community privacy campaign taking the camera question to Burbank city hall.
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Ventura — Ventura County, California
Ventura County residents pushing back on automated plate readers.
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Nevada County — Nevada County, California
“Who is watching?” — rural Sierra foothills residents asking the question their supervisors didn’t.
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Corona — Corona, California
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Elk Grove — Elk Grove, California
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Rancho Cordova — Rancho Cordova, California
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Vallejo — Vallejo, California
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Woodland — Woodland, California
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Yuba-Sutter — Yuba-Sutter County, California
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Auburn CA — Auburn, California
Analyzes Auburn public records on Flock surveillance cameras, shares privacy resources, and points residents to the Auburn City Council.
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Roseville — Roseville, California
Roseville residents organizing against Flock license-plate readers.
Join the fight ↗DeFlock SCV — Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita Valley residents organizing against Flock license-plate readers.
Join the fight ↗Flock & ALPR cameras by city in California
We track 898 California cities and towns with reported cameras — each with its own local report:
Flock & ALPR cameras by county in California
54 California counties have at least one reported camera. Tap any county for its full local report.
Counts come from the open-source DeFlock project’s volunteer reports and update as new cameras are mapped. A county not listed has no reported cameras yet — not necessarily none. Spot one? Report it.