Date saved: 2026-10-28 03:00 (PDT)
Sources: ABC News, NPR, The Drive, France 24, Independent, NBC San Diego, San Diego Union-Tribune, Colorado Hometown Weekly, Yahoo News, The Washington Post, CNN, Politico, Institute for Justice
Key findings
Police abuse of Flock cameras is a nationwide pattern
- Independent (October 27, 2026): Five Indianapolis officers and one former officer were charged in September 2026 with abusing the IMPD Flock camera system. Officer Jonathan Schultz, an 18-year veteran, was accused of tracking his ex-wife and women he met on duty, charged with multiple counts of misconduct and two counts of stalking. Another officer ran 950 searches in six months on his ex-wife. One officer, Abigail Cramer, resigned; the others were suspended. (Source)
- France 24 (October 27, 2026): A USA TODAY investigative team found that Cherokee County, Georgia had missed a deputy, Jerry Shellhouse, who searched one tag at least 840 times until reporters flagged him. Four deputies had already been arrested and fired for Flock abuse in the same county. In Dallas, a 911 director was arrested after a USA TODAY team found she searched more than 2,500 times for her estranged husband and his new girlfriend, with persistent stalking accompanying the searches. At least 100 police department employees across the US were charged with or accused of misusing license-plate readers. (Source)
- ABC News (October 2026): A Kentucky police officer was arrested after authorities alleged he used 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 abuse. The Institute for Justice says it has identified more than 100 incidents of ALPR abuse, including stalking and wrongful stops. (Source)
- ABC News (October 2026): Flock Safety announced new guardrails including requiring law enforcement to label every search with a criminal case number, instituting automatic review for abnormal search activity with proactive lockouts, and a seven-day data retention default instead of 30 days. The Washington Post reported at least 50 officers had been accused, charged or convicted of using Flock and other ALPR systems to spy on unsuspecting people, mostly stalking girlfriends or former partners. (Source)
Cities are canceling contracts and pulling cameras
- The Drive (October 27, 2026): Flock reinstalled cameras in Dayton, Minnesota after the city voted to cancel its contract in August. The city posted a community update on September 29 alerting residents that Flock had installed and put into service two cameras against the city's direction without authorization. A third location was later identified. Plymouth, Minnesota police chief Eric Fadden directed staff to disconnect power cords from Flock cameras after Flock ignored the city's cancellation notice for more than a week. The city council voted to cancel on September 22 after Flock cameras wrongly flagged the chief and his wife. (Source)
- NBC San Diego (October 2026): The San Diego City Council's Budget and Government Efficiency Committee voted unanimously to end the city's contract with Flock Safety for ALPR technology. The full council must confirm. Mayor Todd Gloria supports keeping the cameras and a 6-3 supermajority is needed to override a veto. The ACLU Foundation of San Diego filed a lawsuit in September arguing the system of at least 500 cameras violates the California Constitution's right to privacy. The independent budget analyst estimates ending the contract would save about $2 million per year. (Source)
- San Diego Union-Tribune (October 21, 2026): Councilmember Stephen Whitburn reversed his previous support for the cameras, giving the anti-Flock faction a five-member majority on the council. The matter could come before the full council before the end of the year. (Source)
- Colorado Hometown Weekly (October 21, 2026): Lafayette officials voted to remove $77,500 for the Flock contract from the 2027 budget and will begin early termination, immediately ending all use of Flock Safety technologies. The city will cover all Flock cameras until removal by the company. Thirty cameras are part of the city contract. (Source)
Backlash and political response
- ABC News (October 2026): More than 50 cities and counties have canceled or deactivated ALPR cameras of the type manufactured by Flock Safety this year, according to Politico. Privacy concerns have been stoked by instances of police officers tracking ex-partners. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott paused state funding of Flock cameras. Sen. Josh Hawley announced an investigation into Flock Safety, penning an open letter requesting internal documents. (Source)
- NPR (August 21, 2026): According to NPR review, Flock cameras have been vandalized in at least 36 states. More than 25,000 people are registered for events around the country, including protests and education sessions. The advocacy group DeFlock says at least 100 cities have deactivated the cameras or canceled their contracts. (Source)
- The Ledger (August 14, 2026): Flock canceled its pilot partnership with Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies after public safety and privacy concerns, including Flock's history of helping authorities track protesters, abortion-seekers and ex-romantic partners. A Texas law enforcement officer conducted a nationwide search of more than 83,000 Flock cameras for a woman who had had an abortion. (Source)
Flock Safety built a business selling the promise that its license-plate cameras would catch criminals, not snoop on neighbors. The last six weeks have shredded that pitch. A Kentucky officer ran a former partner's plates more than 2,000 times and only got caught because a new audit tool finally flagged him after five months. Five Indianapolis officers were charged in September for using the same system to track ex-wives, women they met on duty, and exes' new partners. Six Savannah officers were fired in August. The pattern is national: officers using a tool sold for "community safety" to stalk ex-girlfriends, ex-wives, and women they wanted to meet.
The backlash is hitting Flock where it hurts: city contracts. More than 50 cities and counties have canceled or deactivated Flock cameras this year alone. San Diego's budget committee voted unanimously to end a $2 million contract. Lafayette, Colorado terminated its contract and started pulling 30 cameras off the street. And in a detail that captures the whole mess, Flock ignored a cancellation from Dayton, Minnesota and reinstalled two cameras without permission, then did it again at a third location. The company told Plymouth, Minnesota nothing for over a week after the council voted to cancel, forcing the police chief to send staff out with power cords to unplug the cameras himself.
Source links
- France 24: 'Get the Flock out': Americans respond to AI cameras in bipartisan backlash
- The Drive: My City Canceled Flock's Contract. Flock Ignored It, So the Police Chief Unplugged the Cameras
- ABC News: Flock cameras trigger nationwide backlash over privacy concerns, police abuse
- Independent: Flock, ALPRs and the Problem of Police Misuse
- NBC San Diego: San Diego City Council votes to end Flock camera contract
- Colorado Hometown Weekly: Lafayette to terminate Flock contract early
- NPR: Amid intense backlash, people are vandalizing Flock surveillance cameras
- The Ledger: What are Flock cameras and why are they controversial in Florida?
- YouTube: It's Going Down - Anti-Surveillance and Police Technology Resistance
- YouTube: ACLU - How License Plate Readers Are Used to Track You