Vandals strike, cut flock cameras in Goshen
The short version: WSBT-TV reports vandals cut at least two Flock ALPR cameras in Goshen, Indiana, underscoring how contested these surveillance devices have become even in small towns.
Our Take
WSBT-TV's report out of Goshen shows two Flock Safety cameras disabled by vandals, and whatever you think of the method, the underlying message is hard to miss: a lot of people never asked for a network of license plate readers logging their daily movements, and they're frustrated enough to act on their own. Credit to the WSBT team for getting this story on the record, because incidents like this rarely make news outside the town where they happen.
We don't endorse property destruction — it's illegal, it gets people hurt or charged, and it hands Flock and local PR departments an easy 'look how the public loves crime-fighting tech' narrative. But the anger is legible. These cameras are installed quietly, often without a public vote, and the data they collect can sit with a private company and get shared well beyond the county line. When residents feel like cutting a cable is their only lever, that's a sign the normal channels — city council meetings, public records requests, contract reviews — aren't doing the job.
If you live near Goshen or anywhere else running Flock hardware, there are legal ways to push back that actually stick: find out who approved the contract, ask for the audit logs, and show up when renewal votes happen. Check our camera map to see what's already been deployed near you, and visit our take-action page for steps that don't end with someone facing a vandalism charge.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WSBT-TV, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.