Full Breakdown
Flock Safety ALPR Cameras Face Growing Backlash Across U.S. Municipalities
8/20/2026, 9:48:44 PM
Core Event: Contract Lapses and New Vendor Approvals
In late 2025 Longmont, Colorado let its contract with Flock Safety expire, and in March the council voted unanimously to approve Axon as the new ALPR vendor. At the same time El Cerrito, California terminated its Flock contract and ordered removal, though 23 cameras remained active 70 days later. Similar cancellations have occurred in at least 56 municipalities this year, while Denver and Syracuse have swapped Flock equipment for Axon’s systems.
Background & Context
Flock Safety, founded in Georgia, markets its ALPRs as tools for locating stolen vehicles and missing persons. The company operates over 120,000 cameras nationwide, scanning billions of plates each month. The grassroots project DeFlock tracks installations and reports dozens of cities have deactivated or rejected Flock contracts amid a backlash against mass-surveillance technology. Activists argue the cameras record every passing vehicle without a warrant, creating a “dragnet” accessible to law-enforcement, immigration authorities, and potentially private actors.
Official Statements & Responses
Axon president Josh Isner told investors that privacy and ethics drove customers to switch from Flock. Longmont assistant chief of police Phil Piotrowski called Axon’s approach “the exact opposite” of Flock’s data-sharing practices. El Cerrito Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Saltzman said the city is conducting weekly inventories and has spoken with Flock multiple times a week to track removal progress. Brent County acting city manager Terrance Davis warned that cameras installed on public right-of-way without a proper permit will be removed.
Criticism & Opposition
Privacy advocates—including the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation—warn that ALPRs enable “creeping surveillance” and lack robust oversight. In Longmont resident Andrew Palmer and other activists say they were denied a chance to question law-enforcement claims before the Axon vote. HOA residents in Brentwood and El Cerrito argue private entities should not decide on public-street surveillance without transparent oversight.
On-the-Ground Reports
Longmont residents held a brief presentation after the Axon vote, expressing disappointment they could not rebut vendor claims. In El Cerrito, the group “Flock Out of El Cerrito” posted a viral video showing active cameras and urged the city to cover lenses until removal is complete. Brentwood’s Shadow Lakes homeowners association installed Flock cameras on public streets, prompting neighbors such as Ernie Healy and Nathan Fruth to question the purpose and legality of a private-sector system on a public right-of-way.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on exact retention policies: Flock announced a reduction to one week, while some municipalities still cite a 30-day period. Axon has not released a city-wide retention schedule for its Denver deployment. The timeline for complete removal in El Cerrito remains unclear; the company pledged removal by mid-August, yet only partial progress is reported.
What’s Next
Congress is considering bills that would require a warrant before law-enforcement can access ALPR data; Texas Congressman Keith Self has introduced such legislation. Longmont is discussing a citizen technology advisory board to review surveillance contracts, while Las Cruces councilors are pushing for a city-wide surveillance policy and a public data portal to disclose camera counts, scan volumes, retention periods, and data-sharing agreements. Legislative proposals and activist pressure suggest the debate over ALPR systems will remain a prominent privacy issue throughout 2026.
