Flock Safety ALPRs face scrutiny and policy limits in Kentucky and Los Angeles

The deployment of automatic license‑plate reader (ALPR) systems supplied by Flock Safety has become a flashpoint in two U.S. regions. In northern Kentucky, city officials and activists have debated contracts for new readers, while the state legislature passed House Bill 58, signed by Gov. Andy Beshear, imposing retention limits, usage restrictions and open‑record requirements for ALPR data.

In Los Angeles, the Police Commission is set to consider suspending further ALPR installations after the LAPD halted its contract with Flock Safety. An inspector‑general audit recommended a pause on new cameras, tighter data‑security rules and mandatory public oversight, amid concerns that collected data could be shared with federal immigration authorities. Civil‑rights groups and local officials have called for a permanent end to the technology.

Both locales reflect growing public unease about mass surveillance, data privacy and the potential misuse of ALPR information, prompting legislative and oversight actions aimed at curbing the technology’s reach.