Overview
- Two New Bedford police officers were fired Thursday after an internal audit found repeated personal searches using the city’s Flock automated license‑plate readers, and the city council voted to ban the system while an audit continues.
- San Diego’s council committee voted to end the city’s Flock contract pending full council approval and a possible mayoral veto, reflecting a recent swing by council members who once supported the technology.
- Quincy deactivated its Flock cameras and announced a transition to Axis cameras with OdinEye software so the city can retain sole ownership of ALPR data and limit retention to 14 days.
- Mill Valley and several other towns have suspended or reviewed Flock agreements after the vendor changed terms and after reporting showed credential exposures and cross‑jurisdictional data sharing that raised fears of federal access.
- The wave of local actions has spurred audits, town halls and draft state laws focused on limits for searches, stricter retention rules, enforceable vendor safeguards, and clearer local ownership of ALPR data.