Los Angeles PD Lets Flock Camera Contract Lapse
The short version: LAPD quietly let its Flock Safety contract expire, and attorney Steve Lehto says sustained public pushback deserves the credit.
Our Take
When one of the biggest police departments in the country lets a surveillance contract quietly expire, that's not an accident — it's a data point. Steve Lehto's rundown of LAPD's lapsed Flock deal is a good reminder that these systems aren't inevitable; they're procurement decisions made by city councils and police brass who answer to budgets, lawsuits, and angry constituents. When enough of those constituents show up, contracts don't get renewed.
We'd caution against popping champagne just yet. Vendors like Flock Safety are notorious for re-approaching agencies months later with a sweetened pilot program or a quiet line-item in a budget nobody reads. A lapsed contract isn't a ban, and cameras already bolted to poles don't remove themselves. The pressure that got LAPD here needs to stay on to make sure "lapsed" doesn't turn into "renewed" the moment the news cycle moves on.
This is exactly the kind of win that starts with people simply knowing where the cameras are and who's paying for them. Check our camera map to see what's tracking plates in your area, and if you want to push your own city toward LAPD's example, our take-action page has the tools to start that fight locally. Credit to Steve Lehto for keeping this story in public view.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Steve Lehto, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.