Overview
- The dispute has shifted to the street where officials have covered cameras with trash bags, some residents have vandalized units, and videos show Flock devices concealed inside speed signs and other fixtures.
- Several cities and police departments are pausing or ending agreements with Flock and renegotiating contracts to demand clearer ownership, access limits and audit rights for the plate‑read data.
- Flock announced it will drop broader rollout of its trialed “human distress detection” audio feature and says its system does not use facial recognition and typically deletes plate images after about 30 days.
- Audits and reporting by municipal oversight offices have documented high false‑alert rates and improper external queries of ALPR data, and some agencies were reported to have shared plate data with federal immigration authorities.
- The local backlash is driving near‑term consequences including public hearings, renewed inspector‑general reviews, and the possibility of stricter contractual safeguards that could limit law enforcement access to vehicle‑location records.