ALPR & Flock Cameras: A Perspective

Our Take

Credit to Jen's Two Cents for putting a local official's voice on record, because this is exactly the kind of clip that deserves scrutiny rather than a nod-along. Councilmember Jeannette Garcia's line that "people want to feel safe" is the go-to script for every Flock rollout in America, and it's not wrong that constituents want safety. But safety and a network of always-on cameras logging every plate that passes, regardless of suspicion, are not the same thing. That's the sleight of hand baked into most council presentations on this technology.

What rarely gets asked in these meetings is who else gets access to that data once it's collected. Flock's own audit trails have shown out-of-state agencies, federal partners, and departments with no local jurisdiction pulling searches on local ALPR networks, often with no judicial oversight and no notification to the people being tracked. "A lot of what I experience is people want" safety is a comfortable soundbite. It's a lot less comfortable to explain why a camera bought to catch stolen cars ends up searchable by ICE or by a department three states away.

If your city council is having this same conversation, don't wait for someone else to ask the hard questions. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your neighborhood, and use our take-action guide to push for real transparency and audit access before your council signs the next contract.