LAPD Cuts Ties With Flock Safety Over Privacy Concerns

The Los Angeles Police Department is ending its agreement with Flock Safety, the automated license plate reader company whose cameras have spread to thousands of communities nationwide, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The report ties the decision to privacy concerns, though details on the department’s specific reasoning have not been made public.

Why this is a big deal

LAPD is one of the largest police departments in the country. When a department of that size steps back from a surveillance vendor, it sends a signal — to other agencies considering similar contracts, and to residents who’ve been told these cameras are simply a routine safety tool. It suggests that even inside law enforcement, questions about how ALPR data is collected, stored, shared, and audited are hard to ignore.

How these cameras actually work

Flock Safety and similar ALPR systems mount cameras on poles, street signs, or mobile trailers to photograph every passing vehicle’s plate, along with details like make, color, and sometimes bumper stickers or roof racks. That data is time-stamped, geotagged, and stored — often for weeks or months — creating a searchable record of where a car has been, regardless of whether its owner is suspected of anything. Many systems also let partner agencies share access across city and state lines, which means a car’s location history can end up far outside the jurisdiction that captured it.

Why everyday people should care

Most drivers will never be suspected of a crime, but ALPR networks still capture their movements — trips to a clinic, a place of worship, a lawyer’s office, a protest. That data can be misused, breached, or accessed without a warrant, and it rarely comes with a chance for the public to weigh in before the cameras go up. Whether or not this particular case leads to permanent changes in Los Angeles, it’s a reminder that these decisions are often made quietly, without much public input.

What you can do

Check whether ALPR cameras are already active in your area using our public map, learn the basics of how the technology and data-sharing agreements work on our learn page, and find concrete steps for raising concerns with your local council or police department on our take action page. Accountability starts with knowing what’s already watching you.

Source: ABC7 Los Angeles