Cities Terminate Flock Safety Contracts Amid Surveillance Protests

A wave of protests and legislative actions has targeted the use of Flock Safety automated license plate readers (ALPRs) across multiple U.S. cities. In a decisive move, the Oxford City Council voted 6-1 on August 20 to terminate its contract with the company, with Councilmember Bill Snavely citing risks associated with sharing data among thousands of other departments. Conversely, Councilmember Jason Bracken argued that the benefits of deterring crime outweighed the risks of data misuse.

In Asheville, Mayor Esther Manheimer is seeking a City Council vote on August 25 to end the city's agreement and remove 11 cameras. Manheimer cited reports that Flock shared data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement without city permission, stating that a moratorium would be insufficient because the contract requires full termination for equipment removal.

Simultaneous protests organized by the DeFlock movement and other coalitions have occurred in Hamilton, Ohio, and New Hanover County, North Carolina. In Hamilton, residents demanded the removal of cameras, prompting the police department to release revised data-sharing guidelines. In New Hanover County, approximately 50 residents protested during a commissioners' meeting, leading the Sheriff's Office to reduce its data retention period from 90 to 30 days. In Bakersfield, California, community organizers highlighted that the police department's transparency portal showed over 850,000 plate reads in 30 days, calling for increased oversight as the city considers expanding the network.