Navajo Nation partners with Flock Safety to deploy license‑plate readers

The Navajo Nation has entered a partnership with private surveillance firm Flock Safety to install automatic license‑plate reader cameras across its 27,000‑square‑mile reservation, which spans northwestern Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation and the Navajo Nation Police Department will deploy the system to address a public‑safety crisis in an area where officers often travel over 100 miles to respond and response times can exceed an hour.

The rollout comes amid growing backlash against license‑plate reader technology in Arizona, where privacy advocates and some local officials have questioned its use. Flock Safety currently works with more than 60 Arizona law‑enforcement agencies, though cities such as Flagstaff and Sedona have ended contracts, and Chandler is reconsidering renewal. A state Senate bill to set statewide standards for such systems died in March. Navajo officials, including President Buu Nygren, say the cameras will serve as a critical investigative tool, especially given the high rates of violence against Indigenous women.