Flock Safety ALPR cameras face backlash, contract cuts and vandalism in the US

Automated license‑plate‑recognition (ALPR) systems sold by Flock Safety are installed in an estimated 80,000‑100,000 locations across the United States. Civil‑rights groups warn that the technology creates permanent location records of ordinary drivers, can be misused for stalking or monitoring, and has produced inaccurate alerts that led to unnecessary police stops. Recent investigations have documented at least 22 alleged abuses by officers and a Los Angeles Police Department audit that found 161 false stolen‑vehicle alerts over two months, with a 32.3% error rate.

In response to privacy concerns, several municipalities have ended or declined to renew contracts with Flock, including Los Angeles and other unnamed cities. The backlash escalated in Houston, Texas, where vandals cut down camera poles and painted over devices. The incidents underscore growing institutional skepticism toward widespread surveillance and raise questions about data sharing practices among local, state and federal agencies.