Flock surveillance camera controversy 2026
One page that accretes the verified record as the story develops. Every fact keeps its date and its sources.
Bill aims to stop Flock cameras using bumper stickers to track drivers
Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., introduced a bill that would ban ALPR searches targeting political or religious messages on vehicles.
The bill would prohibit government agencies from categorizing vehicles by expressive attributes like political or religious bumper stickers, flags or decals.
The bill would prohibit vendors from selling or sharing ALPR location data.
Flock executive defends crime-fighting cameras amid ACLU backlash
Arnold said Flock camera data is retained for 30 days.
Marlow said Flock recently dropped its standard data retention period to 30 days.
Flock Safety operates cameras in 49 states.
Woman sues over police use of license plate tracking cameras
A woman is suing after police wrongly accused her of package theft.
The case involves the use of license plate tracking data by police.
Republican Florida congressman introduces bill requiring warrants for Flock Safety cameras
The Flafo Act would require a judicial warrant before federal agencies could buy, operate, access or share data with networked licence plate readers.
Santa Cruz became the first California city to drop Flock in January.
Florida's transportation department ordered existing license plate reader cameras removed within 30 days.
Flock and Axon dodge Senate hearing invitation from Chair Josh Hawley
Hawley said a Flock network customer needs to buy a single camera and an approximately $3,000 annual subscription to access a nationwide database of about 120,000 cameras and billions of images.
A Verkada spokesperson said the company's CEO was unable to attend the hearing and denied that Verkada has a national database.
Flock, Axon, and Motorola did not respond to CNBC's requests for comment.
Texas stops issuing permits for Flock cameras along state roads
The suspension includes agreements that are approved but not yet installed.
A presentation about Flock cameras from the police chief in Schertz, Texas, said the pause began on 8 September.
Hundreds of Flock cameras in Texas have been shut down after Abbott's funding freeze.
San Jose officer fired for misusing Flock camera database in domestic abuse case
San Jose police department referred the case to the Santa Clara county district attorney's office, but the officer was not charged with a crime.
Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a California assembly bill that would have imposed new regulations on license-plate reading technology, including a mandate to delete data unrelated to an investigation after two months.
The officer accessed Flock camera data last year without authorization on his personal phone for the vehicle of a woman allegedly abused by one of the officer's family members.
Man arrested for taking down Flock cameras
Martinez was unarmed at the time of his arrest.
Martinez faced nine felony charges in the Sandoval County case.
BCSO says the equipment remained property that members of the public had no authorization to remove.
'Dr Doom' shows support for surveillance cameras at Seattle city council meeting
A man dressed as a Marvel supervillain addressed the Seattle city council on 8 September.
A man dressed as Dr Doom showed support for surveillance cameras at a city council meeting in Seattle.
The man dressed as the Marvel supervillain championed the expansion of Seattle's surveillance network.
Flock surveillance cameras being sabotaged across the US
Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not have a contract with Flock directly.
Harris County's Clearview AI contract runs through to March 2027.
Republican Congressman Keith Self has proposed legislation requiring federal agencies to get warrants before accessing Flock data.
“these databases to search our everyday routines, which ultimately scrapes out our routes to work, where our children go to school, and where we worship. And that's very problematic”
Former Pentagon AI chief warns Flock cameras could create China-like surveillance in U.S.
Rep. Tim Burchett has pushed to cut federal funding for local installations of the surveillance technology.
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley said the company recommends seven-day data retention limits.
Flock Safety announced it cut default data retention to seven days.
Tennessee official says Flock CEO should be hanged amid camera revolt
Florida's Department of Transportation announced it was revoking existing permits for automated license plate readers within state highway rights-of-way.
Carr said he did not call for lynchings but for due process.
Flock's website says the company has operational cameras in 49 states.
Texas Governor Abbott moves to cut state funding for AI-powered Flock cameras over privacy concerns
Abbott's office said most funding for Flock cameras comes from the federal government.
Flock cameras use artificial intelligence to detect vehicle characteristics such as make, model, color, bumper stickers, and dents.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller wrote an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle urging Abbott to halt new surveillance-technology purchases.
“We support thoughtful legislation and strong privacy, transparency, and accountability guardrails that ensure technology is used responsibly while preserving law enforcement’s ability to use effective tools to keep people safe,”
Tennessee House Race Spotlights Backlash Over Flock License Plate Readers
A congressional candidate in East Tennessee was arrested and accused of shooting four Flock cameras.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott Restricts State Agency Spending on Flock Safety Cameras
The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority has assisted state and local agencies in installing at least 3,200 Flock cameras since 2023.
Governor Greg Abbott ordered all Texas state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras.
Grants provided by the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority were funded through a 2023 law adding a $1 fee to Texas auto insurance policies.
“This is something that is easily containable, easily controllable, and we’re ensuring that whether it be through criminal crackdowns, whether it be through cancellation of contracts, whatever the case may be, Flock cameras are being reduced dramatically,”
Teens accused of destroying Flock camera causing fire near homes
Hood County officials voted to end their relationship with Flock and directed that the county's three cameras be disconnected and covered until they could be removed.
The Chester County Sheriff's Office estimated the damage from the attack at more than $5,000.
Samuel Carlisle and James Ryerson were booked Aug. 18 and released Aug. 19.
“Instead of serving discrete local investigations, as contemplated by our constitutional processes and safeguards, these camera networks harness artificial intelligence to pool what they capture into a national database that customers can search,”
Senator Hawley criticizes Flock surveillance as Texas cities cut cameras
Robert Frommer, director of the Institute for Justice's Project on the Fourth Amendment, said the number one reform needed is a warrant requirement for searching a person's past movements.
The Pflugerville City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to end the city's agreement with Flock and turn off all 28 automated license plate reader cameras.
Hawley stated that Flock has more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states and more than 20 billion vehicle scans every month.