Suspected Flock camera vandal walks out of court hearing in Sandoval County
The short version: A Sandoval County court hearing for a man accused of vandalizing a Flock ALPR camera reportedly ended with him walking out, per KRQE's reporting.
Our Take
Credit to KRQE for staying on this story. Whatever you think of vandalism as a tactic, the fact that someone is facing criminal charges over a Flock camera is a reminder of how fast these devices went from obscure pilot programs to fixtures that people feel strongly enough about to risk prosecution over. Courts, not spray paint or crowbars, are where this fight should play out — but the anger behind these incidents doesn't come from nowhere. It comes from towns waking up to a camera on every other corner with zero public vote.
What's missing from most local coverage, including this clip, is the bigger picture: who approved the contract, what data-sharing agreements exist with other agencies, and whether residents ever got a real say. A courtroom walkout makes for a dramatic headline, but the quieter scandal is how little oversight most of these deployments get before the cameras go up.
If you want to know whether Sandoval County — or your own neighborhood — is wired into this network, check our camera map. And if you'd rather push back through public comment and local government than a courtroom, our take-action guide is the better place to start.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of KRQE, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.