The Camera You Drive Past Every Day
The short version: Our Democracy Collective's new video shows Denver's Flock cameras were tapped nearly 1,400 times for immigration lookups, with a Loveland officer handing over the data himself.
Our Take
Credit to Our Democracy Collective for digging up receipts most city councils would rather you never see. "The Camera You Drive Past Every Day" lays out something we've been warning about for years: these networks don't stay in their lane. A system sold to Denver residents as a tool for catching stolen cars and hit-and-run drivers reportedly got queried close to 1,400 times for immigration-related searches — and the confirmation came not from a press release, but from a Loveland officer willing to share the data directly.
That's the pattern with ALPR networks everywhere. Local police departments sign contracts promising narrow, public-safety use, then the data pipes get quietly opened to ICE, federal task forces, or whoever else can get an access code. Once your plate is logged, you have no say in who searches it next, and local officials often find out about the misuse the same way the rest of us do — months later, from a leak or a records request.
If you live anywhere near one of these camera networks, don't wait for a whistleblower to tell you how your data is being used. Check our camera map to see what's logging plates in your area, and head to take action for concrete steps to push your city council toward real transparency and limits before your commute becomes somebody else's investigation.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Our Democracy Collective, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.