City of Cabot suspending use of Flock cameras | Here's why
The short version: Cabot, Arkansas pulled the plug on its Flock cameras after residents pushed back — proof that public pressure can actually roll back ALPR surveillance.
Our Take
Credit to THV11 for covering a win that doesn't happen nearly often enough: a city council actually listening when residents say they don't want a network of license plate readers logging their every move. Cabot's suspension didn't come from a court order or a state audit — it came from regular people showing up and asking hard questions about who sees their data, how long it's kept, and what it's actually being used for.
This matters because the usual pattern is the opposite: a police department quietly signs a Flock contract, cameras go up on a handful of roads, and by the time residents notice, the system is already woven into daily policing with little public debate. Cabot shows that pushback before the ink dries — or even after — can still force a pause. That's a template other towns should be studying.
If you want to know whether Flock or similar ALPR cameras are already watching your commute, check our camera map, and if you'd rather not wait for a scandal to force your city's hand, our take-action page has concrete steps for raising this with your own council before the cameras go up, not after.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of THV11, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.