[REVISION HISTORY]

Flock Safety faces rising vandalism, misuse, and politics

Updated 40 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-06 10:59 UTC → 2026-09-14 03:06 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The backlash against Flock Safety’s AI-driven license-plate-reader (ALPR) network intensified in late summer 2026, marked by rising physical vandalism, safety concerns, and increased municipal opposition. In response to privacy concerns, residents have used chainsaws to destroy cameras in New York, painted them in California, and rammed devices with trucks in Idaho. Recent vandalism also occurred in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where a camera’s mounting post and power cables were cut, costing an estimated $1,000 to repair. In Covington, a social media-driven protest has resulted in the majority of the city’s cameras being damaged or destroyed. Institutional opposition has expanded as several municipalities terminate or restrict agreements. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies to halt funding for Flock Safety cameras following reports that funds intended for combating vehicle theft were used to expand the surveillance network. This has led cities like Dallas to announce the shutdown of 321 cameras by mid-September 2026, though over 300 will remain operational via federal grants. In Pflugerville, the city has deactivated 28 cameras and covered them with plastic, while the local school district has also deactivated its units due to fears of unauthorized data access. In Florida, the Department of Transportation has ordered the removal of license plate readers from state highway rights-of-way within 30 days, citing concerns from Governor Ron DeSantis regarding a “surveillance state.” ~~Consequently, sheriffs~~ In September 2026, local scrutiny increased in Duval, Liberty, Putnam, Volusia, and Leon counties have suspended or discontinued their programs. Recent reports indicate that counties such as Franklin and Jacksonville have also begun disabling systems due Missouri, where the Columbia City Council moved to ~~concerns over “surveillance creep.”~~ hold a public hearing regarding the city’s contract. In ~~Wisconsin, multiple law enforcement agencies have suspended or canceled Flock contracts following revelations that~~ Summit County, Colorado, the ~~company had been collecting five years~~ Sheriff’s Office paused camera use after several units were cut down. Amidst these local debates, President Trump expressed support for the technology, stating, “I sort of ~~municipal traffic data to repackage as a commercial analytics product.~~ like ’em because of that, because of law enforcement,” despite acknowledging privacy criticisms.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.