I'm Suing My City for $100,000 Over Flock Cameras

Our Take

Credit where it's due: Brian McKellar didn't just complain about Flock cameras on the internet, he read Idaho's statute books, found language that looked violated, and filed a formal notice of tort claim against the City of Idaho Falls. That's the kind of friction this industry desperately needs — not just angry comments, but paper trails that force municipal attorneys and city councils to actually explain what they're doing with data that tracks every car that passes a reader, and who they're sharing it with.

What makes this case worth watching isn't just the $100,000 number, it's the underlying argument: that ALPR data collection may already run afoul of existing state privacy law, even in places that never held a public debate about installing these systems. Idaho Falls and Twin Falls are both facing claims now, per local reporting, and that's a sign this isn't an isolated crank theory, it's a legal strategy that other residents in other states could replicate if they're willing to do the homework McKellar did.

Whether or not this specific claim succeeds, the pressure campaign matters. Cities routinely install these networks with a vendor sales pitch and a rubber-stamp vote, assuming nobody will check the fine print against state law. If you want to see how dense your own area's camera network already is, check our map, and if you're ready to push back locally, our take-action guide has a starting point.