LAPD sued over Flock automatic license plate readers
The short version: CBS LA reports LAPD is being sued over its use of Flock license plate readers, adding Los Angeles to the growing list of cities facing legal pushback on ALPR surveillance.
Our Take
CBS LA is reporting that the LAPD now has a lawsuit on its hands over its Flock camera network — credit to their newsroom for putting a local face on a fight that's been brewing nationwide. We don't have the court filings in front of us, so we won't guess at legal theories or claims here, but the fact that a department this size is being challenged says a lot about how far Flock's rollout has outpaced any real public debate or oversight.
This is the pattern we keep seeing: cameras go up quietly, data-sharing agreements get signed without much scrutiny, and then residents find out after the fact just how much of their daily movement is being logged and potentially shared across agency lines. Lawsuits like this one are often the only mechanism left for the public to force transparency once a system is already operating at scale.
If you're in the LA area or anywhere else, it's worth checking whether Flock or similar ALPR systems are already running near you — take a look at our camera map to see what's been documented, and if you want to push back locally, our take-action page has resources for raising this with your city council or police oversight board.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of CBS LA, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.