Overview
- Georgia State Patrol issued a traffic citation that cited a “CAPTURED ON FLOCK CAMERA” image of a motorcyclist holding a phone, a use the agency called a rare, unique circumstance.
- Flock Safety says its automated license plate readers are not used to enforce traffic violations, yet the Georgia ticket shows the cameras can capture images detailed enough to justify a stop as the system logs plate sightings in a searchable network.
- In a separate misuse case, prosecutors say former Milwaukee officer Josue Ayala ran more than 170 Flock searches to track a woman he was dating and her ex; he pleaded not guilty and resigned.
- Local pushback is growing as Denver chose not to renew its Flock deal and at least 30 cities ended contracts early this year, with officials citing concerns about nationwide searches and possible federal access.
- A Virginia review found many agencies gave no public notice about ALPR deployments and shared data across state and federal lines, and some cities now write penalties into contracts to curb unauthorized access.