Flock Safety, the company operating a widespread network of automated license plate reader cameras used by law enforcement agencies across the country, has announced it will not actively cooperate with federal data requests for the time being, drawing a line that has implications for how its camera data is used by immigration and other federal enforcement operations.
Flock’s cameras are installed at the request of local police departments and municipalities, with the stated purpose of assisting in solving vehicle-related crimes including theft, carjacking, and Amber Alert responses. The system captures and stores vehicle descriptions, license plates, and location data for vehicles that pass the cameras.
The company’s decision to limit federal cooperation reflects growing tension between the capabilities of private surveillance infrastructure and the boundaries its operators wish to set on how that data is used. Local law enforcement agencies that contract with Flock may have their own views on the appropriate scope of data sharing.
Privacy advocates have long raised concerns about the accumulation of movement data on ordinary citizens who are not under investigation, noting that license plate readers effectively create a searchable record of where lawfully operating vehicles have been over time.
Flock said the policy is subject to review and that it would continue evaluating its obligations as the legal landscape around surveillance data and federal cooperation evolves.
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