Deflock Tucson

Source: Institution for Justice

Attribution: https://ij.org/press-release/public-interest-law-firm-responds-to-flock-safety-pausing-federal-access-to-license-plate-reader-cameras/

Author: Dan King

Date: August 28, 2025

On Monday, Flock Safety—one of the largest automated license plate reader (ALPR) companies—announced it was pausing cooperation with federal law enforcement, amid concerns about how the federal government is using the data collected by the company’s cameras. Although Flock previously insisted that it had no federal contracts, it recently admitted that it had been running a “pilot program” with Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. In response, Institute for Justice (IJ) Attorney Michael Soyfer issued the following statement:  

“While Flock’s announcement might sound like a major reform, in reality it will do very little to protect the extensive records its customers collect on people’s movements from being shared with the federal government. Although the announcement means federal law enforcement cannot directly access this trove of information, they can just ask other Flock customers to run searches or share log-in information, as we’ve seen happen repeatedly. Without strict limits on how much data law enforcement can collect and a warrant requirement, these abuses are bound to continue.”  

Thousands of communities around the United States have partnered with private companies, such as Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions, PlateSmart, and others, to install ALPR cameras on their roads. Unlike red-light cameras or speed cameras that are triggered by specific violations, these cameras photograph every vehicle that drives by and can use artificial intelligence to create a profile with identifying information that then gets stored in a massive database.  

Once that happens, officials can search the database for any vehicle they wish, all without a warrant. And departments around the country are automatically sharing data with each other, making it simple for police anywhere to track drivers’ movements. All of this arbitrary discretion threatens people’s privacy, security, and freedom of movement by creating an atmosphere where everyone knows they are being watched and tracked whenever they hit the road.  

Through its Plate Privacy Project, IJ is fighting back against the warrantless use of ALPR cameras. Last year, IJ filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Norfolk, Virginia, over its use of more than 170 Flock Safety ALPRs. Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled the lawsuit could move forward, saying that “a reasonable person could believe that society’s expectations [of privacy] are being violated by the Norfolk Flock system.” Also, earlier this year, IJ successfully persuaded a city in Arkansas to move an ALPR that was directly in front of an innocent family’s home. Before the camera was moved, it captured photos of the family’s driveway and part of their front yard every time a vehicle drove by and photographed the family every time they left home or returned home. Finally, IJ worked closely with activists in Scarsdale, New York, who wanted to end their village’s ALPR program. The village ultimately scrapped its contract to install the cameras.