Fight Creepy ALPR Cameras
Automatic license plate reader (ALPR) companies like Flock Safety are quietly trying to build a nationwide mass surveillance system. If there are Flock cameras in your city, they are tracking, logging, and sharing your movements without a warrant. But we're not powerless. More and more communities are rejecting these creepy cameras — and yours can be one of them!
Fast Facts
Flock cameras are in both urban and rural areas on highways, in neighborhoods, and outside your local hardware store.
of cars are connected to any crime or wrongdoing.
license plates scanned by Flock license plate readers .
Flock's ALPR cameras aren't like your normal traffic cameras. This surveillance technology records and tracks every car that comes into view, and then an AI algorithm catalogs the make, model, color, license plate number, bumper stickers, and even scratches. This personal information is then uploaded into a nationwide database that can search — with few regulations or oversight on how they use what they find.
What the Flock?
Flock provides one of the most widely used ALPR systems, but they aren't the only company trying to make a buck by spying on us. Axon, Vigilant Solutions (a subsidiary of Motorola Solutions), Genetec, PlateSmart, Innova Systems, Rekor, ELSAG, Perceptics, and Jenoptik are a few of the other leading companies selling ALPRs to police, private companies, and others.
It doesn't matter which company has its creepy cameras in your neighborhood; they all have the same problems: a lack of transparency, oversight, and regulation into how they collect, store, and use our data, and how to hold public and private actors accountable if they abuse it.
Just think about how much someone could learn about your life if cameras constantly tracked where you drove. They could find out which doctors you visit, what house of faith you worship at, who you visit or drive around with — even which political meetings and protests you attend.
And we've already seen how this mass surveillance tool can be weaponized and abused by law enforcement. have repeatedly used Flock to go after immigrants without warrants. Kansas police used them to pursue a man who wrote a critical op-ed about the department, while a wrongfully accused a woman of theft based on a Flock hit and then refused to look at evidence proving her innocence. A mother and her children were because ALPR cameras wrongly flagged their car as stolen.
Tell Flock Safety to Get the Flock Out!
This unprecedented spying is terrifying, but there's good news, too. Communities across the country are fighting back against these creepy cameras and winning.
Cities and police departments are canceling their contracts with Flock in response to public pressure. ºìÐÓÊÓƵ affiliates are supporting — and passing! — legislation in the states to regulate how ALPR cameras are used. But we need your help.
Read our local advocacy toolkit and join the movement to tell Flock and other ALPR companies: "Get The Flock Out!"
Know Your Tech: ALPR Cameras & Flock
The ºìÐÓÊÓƵ's Ongoing Work
The ºìÐÓÊÓƵ has been working for over a decade to increase transparency and accountability for how ALPR cameras are being used.
In 2013, we released You Are Being Tracked, a report detailing how ALPR cameras were becoming a tool for mass routine location tracking and surveillance. Our privacy and technology team has kept a close eye on the spread of ALPR cameras in the following decade, and in February 2026, we released model legislation with strict guidelines for regulating the use of ALPR cameras. In April 2026, the ºìÐÓÊÓƵ filed an amicus brief in a Fourth Circuit case arguing that the use of ALPR systems gave the government unprecedented powers of surveillance that upset traditional expectations of privacy in violation of the Fourth Amendment. And in May 2026, the ºìÐÓÊÓƵ supported a bipartisan amendment to the federal highway funding bill that would have prevented cities and states from using ALPR cameras, except for tolling purposes.
Communities across the country are fighting back against the slow creep of license plate readers into their neighborhoods — and the ºìÐÓÊÓƵ’s State Affiliates are leading the way. They’ve helped organize local community members to oppose Automatic License Plate Readers by Flock and other companies, passed legislation regulating them, and successfully convinced cities to oppose and cancel contracts for this invasive surveillance tech.
Click your state below to learn more about their work and join your local movement to fight back against mass surveillance.
Last updated on August 26, 2026
Arizona
Ongoing Advocacy
Canceled Contracts
- — December 2025: Flagstaff City Council to cancel their contract with Flock.
- — August 2026: Chandler City Council announces it will and will no longer pursue a renewal of their contract.
California
Ongoing Advocacy
Canceled Contracts
- — January 2026: Worked with a local coalition to mobilize opposition to Flock cameras in Santa Cruz. In January 2026, the City Council .
- — February 2026: Worked with a local coalition to mobilize opposition to Flock cameras in Mountain View. In February 2026, the Chief of Police announced they would of Flock ALPR cameras.
- — May 2026: Submitted to the El Cerrito City Council, which voted 3-2 to not renew their Flock contract, effectively ending it. The termination of this agreement with Flock effectively saves El Cerrito $315K over the next three years.
Legal Action
- — in November 2025 alongside the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) challenging San Jose's warrantless ALPR mass surveillance.
- — The EFF and the ºìÐÓÊÓƵ affiliates of Northern California, Southern California, and San Diego & Imperial Counties in October 2021 for illegally sharing drivers' license plate data with ICE, CBP and other out-of-state agencies. In May 2022, the plaintiffs reached a settlement in which the Sheriff agreed to stop sharing license plate and location information with agencies outside of California. The settlement is binding for any of the Sheriff’s successors.
- — in May 2018 demanding records of ICE's contracts with private ALPR companies to purchase data for potential use for civil immigration enforcement.
Legal Action
- — The ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Foundation of Southern California and the EFF by the California Supreme Court that the license plate data collected indiscriminately by ALPR cameras can't be kept secret by law enforcement. This opens pathways for public accountability and transparency about how this data is used.
Advocacy
- — Sent letters to over 70 law enforcement agencies in California, demanding they stop illegally sharing ALPR camera data with states that have criminalized abortion care. They also notified the California Attorney General about these violations, who then instructed police across the state to cease sharing license plate information with other states or federal agencies.
Advocacy
- — for local residents to tell the San Diego City Council and Mayor Todd Gloria to cancel all of San Diego's ALPR contracts.
- — opposing the San Diego City Council continuing their contract with Flock Safety.
- — before the San Diego City Council Budget Review Committee opposing the city's investment in ALPR. Within 24 hours of organizing with community partners against the renewal of the contract with Flock, two council members put out this memo: . The memo said in part: " . . .there has been a significant shift at the federal level that has resulted in relevant community concerns regarding the safety of public surveillance technology data, with a particular focus on Flock Safety . . .". This victory was tempered in part by recent revelations that the
- — urging the San Diego City Council to end their contract with Flock Safety and stop the use of ALPR.
- — outlining the connection between federal funding sources and local police surveillance.
Colorado
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — Flock camera audit logs from the Denver Police Department through a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request, proving that Denver data was searched more than 1,400 times for ICE since June 2024.
- — Worked with community organizers in Thornton, CO to hold a town hall that drew over 100 people to learn about the harms of Flock.
- — Worked with community organizers in Durango to write a proposed ordinance for ALPR regulation. Since the ordinance was proposed, the Durango city attorney has been directed to draft an ordinance to regulate ALPRs.
Canceled Contracts
- — September 2025: The City of Louisville its cameras.
- — December 2025: Longmont city council their existing Flock contract.
Connecticut
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — state legislation setting strict limits on accessing data collected by ALPR cameras.
- — in November 2025 on the use of ALPR systems until meaningful safeguards are implemented.
Legal Action
- — with police departments across the state in November 2025 to obtain information about law enforcement's use of ALPR cameras to track drivers' movements and enable data sharing across state lines.
Canceled Contracts
- — July 2026: The towns of Windsor and Killingworth their contracts with Flock.
Delaware
Ongoing Advocacy
Canceled Contracts
- — August, 2026: Wilmington .
Advocacy
- — After Wilmington decommissioned its Flock cameras, to all other cities in Delaware currently with Flock cameras urging them to follow Wilmington's lead.
Georgia
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — the renewal of Atlanta's contract with Flock Safety for ALPRs at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and advocated for stronger oversight of surveillance technologies in Atlanta. Decisions involving technology that tracks, collects and shares sensitive data about community members should include public input. More than 26 cities across the country have adopted laws to ensure transparency before approving or expanding surveillance technologies. ºìÐÓÊÓƵ-GA has encouraged Atlanta to pass a CCOPS law.
Illinois
Ongoing Advocacy
Canceled Contracts
- — August 2025: The city of Evanston its existing Flock contract.
Legal Action
- — Submitted to ten Illinois law enforcement agencies about how ALPR cameras are used and how the data collected is stored and shared.
Indiana
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — Partnered with local advocacy groups to advocate for state rules limiting how long data collected by ALPR cameras can be stored, restricting how it can be used, and banning Indiana law enforcement from sharing that data with law enforcement from other states or the federal government.
Canceled Contracts
- — August 2026: The Fort Wayne City Council unanimously agrees .
Iowa
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — to demand the cancellation of ALPR contracts in Iowa, which included a map of ALPR cameras across Iowa and a local advocacy toolkit.
- — about the costs and risks posed by ALPR cameras in Iowa.
Canceled Contracts
- — February 2026: Coralville city council their existing Flock contract.
Maine
Ongoing Advocacy
Legal Action
- — about Flock Safety from Maine towns and cities that appear to be working with Flock Safety.
Massachusetts
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — Launched a containing model discovery and preservation motions that attorneys can adapt for use in cases involving digital surveillance technologies. Developed in collaboration with Harvard Law School’s Race & Law Clinic.
- — Sent public records requests to dozens of Massachusetts police departments to learn more about their use of ALPRs, and released a model public records request for other community advocates.
- — Released a blog that outlines how Flock shares license plate reader data showing drivers' locations, how that may conflict with Massachusetts's Shield Law, and how to take action.
- — with tools and information to help communities advocate for stronger guardrails and oversight around law enforcement use of ALPRs
- — across Massachusetts, highlighting the dangers of Flock and encouraging local officials to take steps to prevent external data sharing or cancel existing ALPR contracts and remove all cameras.
Canceled Contracts
- — December 2025: Cambridge's City Manager that the city would end its Flock contract.
- — January 2026: Watertown's City Manager announces that the city will their existing Flock contract.
- — January 2026: Greenfield's Police Chief announces that the city will its existing Flock contract.
- — January 2026: Natick Select Board of a Flock pilot program.
- — March 2026: Attleboro with Flock.
- — June 2026: Framingham Police Department to renew its contract with Flock.
Michigan
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — before Bay City commissioners, urging them to consider the lack of statewide safeguards on ALPR cameras. The commission ultimately voted 6-2 not to move forward with a Flock Safety contract.
- — Testified multiple times on how ALPRs invade privacy with no limits on data sharing at Lapeer County meetings, which garnered public opposition to the technology, and resulted in the sheriff withdrawing his request to enter into a contract with Flock.
Nebraska
Ongoing Advocacy
Canceled Contracts
- — July 2026: Ord's City Council votes 5-0 in support of .
New York
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — detailing the drones deployed by state and local government agencies to surveil New Yorkers — including a program in the Village of Hempstead which would have integrated drone surveillance with Flock Safety's ALPR network, creating a state of total surveillance for Village residents. The report calls for subjecting these data collectors to public oversight.
Canceled Contracts
- — August 2025: Village of Scarsdale its contract with Flock.
- — December 2025: Town Board of Poestenkill a proposed contract with Flock.
- — March 2026: Village Board of Saranac Lake its contract with Flock.
- — March 2026: Ithaca Common Council its contract with Flock.
- — March 2026: Ithaca Common Council its contract with Flock.
- — March 2026: Town Board of Pine Plains of Flock cameras.
Ohio
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — Opposed Cleveland's Flock contract renewal. In the face of mounting opposition, Cleveland passed a six-month contract extension. Plan to engage further as the city prepares to conduct a bidding process for a new ALPR vendor in 2027.
- — Organized a public meeting in coordination with several other local groups to address concerns about Athens County's impending contract renewal. While several elected officials attended, the contract was ultimately renewed.
- — Assisting grassroots advocates and community organizations as they submit public records requests about the use of ALPR systems in their communities, including Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, and Youngstown, Ohio.
- — to urge Cincinnati city leaders to pass a Community Control over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) ordinance to establish community oversight and control over if and how surveillance technologies are used by the Cincinnati Police Department. Met with multiple members and staff of the Cincinnati City Council to discuss how the city and county are currently using surveillance technology.
Oklahoma
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — ºìÐÓÊÓƵ senior policy counsel Chad Marlow at an Oklahoma City town hall about the privacy risks posed by Flock Safety.
Oregon
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — Participated in a legislative workgroup that reviewed ALPR safeguards which led to the introduction of SB 1516 — a bill to regulate the use of Automatic License Plate Readers.
- — Joined with immigrant rights and privacy organizations to all cities and counties within Oregon to cancel their Flock contracts.
- — Created a toolkit to help communities of Flock cameras and for how to take action locally.
Canceled Contracts
- — December 2025: Lane County Sheriff's Office its Flock contract.
- — December 2025: Eugene Sheriff's Office its Flock contract.
- — December 2025: Springfield Sheriff's Office its Flock contract.
- — January 2026: Bend to renew its Flock contract.
- — Washington County of ALPR technology use.
Legal Action
- — Sued the city of Eugene for public records on the city's operations of Flock cameras.
Rhode Island
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — Created a toolkit to help communities understand the risks of Flock cameras and for how to take action locally.
- — on the spread of ALPRs in Rhode Island.
- — Mailed over 1,000 letters to members explaining to them advocacy steps they can take to help stop the spread of Flock cameras in their communities.
Canceled Contracts
- — December 2025: Warren town council to place Flock safety cameras in their town.
- — January 2026: Portsmouth town council to place Flock safety cameras in their town.
- — July 2026: South Kingstown Town Council to terminate the town's Flock contract.
- — August 2026: Narragansett Town Council votes unanimously to .
- — August 2026: Glocester Town Council votes to .
Texas
Ongoing Advocacy
Canceled Contracts
- — June 2025: Austin City Council their Flock contract.
Virginia
Ongoing Advocacy
Legal Action
- — Filed an amicus brief with the ºìÐÓÊÓƵ and the Electronic Frontier Foundation in a case challenging the Norfolk, Virginia police department's use of Flock ALPRs to surveil the movements of drivers around the city.
Canceled Contracts
- — January 2026: The Charlottesville City Council its contract with Flock after a one-year pilot program expires.
Washington
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — Worked with Community Partners to pass the — a bill that regulates the use of ALPRs and protects driver data.
West Virginia
Ongoing Advocacy
Advocacy
- — for West Virginia residents to tell their state legislators to oppose ALPR use in their communities.
Legal Action
- — the city of Huntington after the city signed a contract with Flock, because the city did not follow its own laws and procedures before approving the contract.
Wisconsin
Ongoing Advocacy
Canceled Contracts
- — April 2026: The Dane County Board passes a resolution amending the 2026 operating budget for the Dane County Sheriff's Office to .
- — July 2026: The Appleton Common Council with Flock and give more time for the Council to develop meaningful guardrails and oversight over ALPRs and other surveillance technology.
- — July 2026: The Stoughton City Council , remove all cameras as soon as possible, and delete any data from the system. Stoughton became the seventh government unit in Dane County to end its relationship with Flock after the City of Verona, the Village of McFarland, Dane County, the City of Fitchburg, the City of Monona, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department.
Advocacy
- — to the Milwaukee Police Department to obtain locations of ALPR cameras and information about surveillance technology.
- — Advocating for a Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) ordinance to in Milwaukee.
- — Advocating for the Milwaukee Common Council to take action on Flock. in February 2026 to the Finance and Personnel Committee about the city's Flock contract.
- — Sent a letter to the members of the Milwaukee Common Council's Public Safety and Health Committee in March 2026 to raise concerns about a Milwaukee Police Department Officer who Supported a letter from Common Council calling for after this incident. in July 2026 after criminal charges were filed against a Milwaukee Police Internal Affairs Detective assigned to investigate the first incident for also allegedly using Flock to illegally surveil two people.
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