Flock Camera Abuse, Research Digest

Date saved: 2026-10-19 18:00 (PDT)

Sources: ABC News, CNN, GovTech, Jackson Clarion Ledger, Chicago Tribune

Key findings

ABC News (Oct 2026): More than 50 cities and counties have canceled or deactivated Flock Safety ALPR cameras in 2026, according to Politico, with pushback occurring across red and blue states alike. Privacy concerns have been stoked by instances of police officers tracking ex-partners, and wariness about AI's role in the technology has deepened public unease. (Source)
GovTech (2026): Between August 2021 and May 2026, 82 Flock contracts were terminated in 28 states, per San Francisco Standard reporting. A new Washington state law now limits Flock reader use to felony investigations and immediate needs, bans sharing data outside of court, and requires most data to be deleted within three weeks. (Source)
Jackson Clarion Ledger (Oct 16, 2026): Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney announced the department will not renew its Flock Safety contract, citing privacy concerns. More than 50 officers nationwide have been charged for policy violations involving Flock license plate readers. (Source)

CNN (Jul 26, 2026): Officer Josue Ayala secretly used Flock to learn the location of his romantic partner 124 times and that partner's ex 55 times. Another detective, Tehrangi Chapman, was arrested for misusing Flock to track two people and secretly installing a GPS device on one person's vehicle. At least two dozen cases exist in which officers resigned or were arrested for allegedly abusing Flock to stalk romantic interests, per the Institute for Justice. (Source)
ABC News (Oct 2026): A Kentucky police officer was arrested after allegedly using Flock cameras to track his ex-girlfriend more than 2,000 times. In Savannah, Georgia, six police department employees were fired in August over alleged Flock camera abuse. The Institute for Justice has identified more than 100 incidents of ALPR abuse, including stalking and wrongful stops. (Source)
Chicago Tribune (Aug 21, 2026): In Kenosha County, Wisconsin, former Sheriff Deputy Frank McGrath was charged with misusing the Flock database to track a coworker for an unauthorized personal purpose. Flock has announced it will require case numbers for law enforcement searches by the end of the year in response to public backlash. (Source)

GovTech (2026): Washington state's new law represents one of the most aggressive state-level responses, restricting Flock data to felony investigations and mandating three-week data deletion. The Institute for Justice, a libertarian public interest law firm, has filed lawsuits against Flock on Fourth Amendment grounds, arguing police can use the system without a warrant or clear reason. (Source)
Chicago Tribune (Aug 21, 2026): Illinois legislators are debating rules for license plate readers as resistance grows in Lake County, with opponents calling ALPRs a 'pure violation of our Fourth Amendment' and a 'slippery slope' invasion of privacy for innocent drivers. (Source)