Stockton police investigate misuse of Flock cameras
The short version: Stockton PD fired an employee over Flock camera misuse, proving the surveillance abuse critics warned about isn't hypothetical — it's happening now.
Our Take
KCRA 3's reporting on Stockton PD's internal investigation into Flock camera misuse is exactly the kind of story we keep warning you about. A termination means someone with access to this network of license plate readers did something bad enough to lose their job over it. The department isn't saying much beyond that, which is its own problem — these systems run on trust that the public never gets to verify.
This is the pattern with ALPR networks everywhere: the tech gets sold to city councils as a tool for catching stolen cars and violent offenders, but the access logs and audit trails that are supposed to prevent abuse are either weak, unenforced, or hidden from public view until something blows up. One bad actor with a login can track an ex, a journalist, a political rival, or anyone else they want to surveil — and we usually only find out after the fact, if at all.
Credit to KCRA 3 for pushing on this one. If you want to know whether Flock cameras are watching your street, check our map, and if you're ready to push back on your local department or city council, our take-action page has the tools to start.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of KCRA 3, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.