Police departments in Los Angeles and Wisconsin have suspended or ended their use of Flock Safety automated license plate readers amid mounting privacy concerns. Meanwhile, safety advocates in Ohio warn that the unyielding metal poles holding up the surveillance cameras pose a serious collision hazard for motorists.
Privacy Concerns Force LAPD Suspension and Municipal Departures
Law enforcement agencies across the country are cutting ties with automated license plate reader provider Flock Safety as scrutiny intensifies over data privacy, security, and information sharing with federal authorities. The Los Angeles Police Department stopped working with the surveillance technology company over concerns about the data’s use.
Flock operates 138 pole-mounted cameras across Los Angeles under a three-year agreement signed in July 2023 that was scheduled to expire on a Saturday. Dean Gialamas, the police department’s chief information officer, stated that the agency would pause its use of the technology until we can get those data, privacy, security and sharing concerns ironed out through a contractual relationship. Advocacy groups have raised alarms that the collected information could assist federal immigration enforcement, while an inspector general audit revealed the department lacked formal contracts for all automated plate reader services.
Similar pushback is unfolding in smaller communities. In Wisconsin, the city of Kaukauna chose to let its $53,000 contract expire, removing six cameras after noting regional backlash and a case where a Menasha police officer was charged with felony misconduct in public office for allegedly using the system while off duty to track an ex-girlfriend’s car. It’s been a great tool for the city,
Kaukauna Mayor Tony Penterman told postcrescent.com, but with the misuse of the system and Kaukauna being one of the lone municipalities in the Fox Cities that still has the cameras, it was beneficial for us to just end the contract.
Roadside Safety Hazards Identified on Rural Routes
Beyond digital privacy debates, physical roadside safety concerns have emerged regarding how and where the camera hardware is installed. Safety advocates point out that the dark-painted metal poles holding the solar-powered cameras often lack essential impact-mitigation features.
Steve Eimers, a Tennessee-based advocate known as the Guardrail Guy whose daughter died in a collision with a roadside structure a decade ago, has documented camera poles installed dangerously close to travel lanes. In Greene County, Ohio, one such device stands roughly two feet from the edge of the asphalt on a narrow, two-lane rural road. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, uncurbed facilities require license plate reader poles to sit at least 8 [feet] from the nearest edge of a travel lane.
Furthermore, federal standards require roadside sign supports in clear zones to be breakaway, yielding, or shielded by a barrier or crash cushion. Eimers notes that many installed poles lack these safety mechanisms entirely or position them incorrectly, potentially creating deadly roadside obstacles.
“There are a billion different people looking into the top part of the cameras [but] nobody’s been looking at the bottom, and the crashworthy elements.”
Steve Eimers, road safety advocate
Company and Law Enforcement Defense of the Technology
Despite the growing wave of cancellations and safety critiques, police departments and the camera manufacturer maintain that the automated systems remain vital tools for fighting crime. Law enforcement agencies across multiple states credit the searchable database with recovering stolen property, locating missing persons, and solving crimes.
Flock representatives have defended their operations, describing the Los Angeles police suspension as a surprise and expressing confidence that ongoing discussions will resolve misunderstandings. The company asserts that its installations comply with applicable state and local requirements regarding hardware safety and that its technology adheres to California laws limiting data sharing with federal agencies.
Alternative Vendors and Unresolved Contractual Status
As municipalities sever ties with Flock, some cities are pivoting toward different suppliers rather than abandoning automated plate readers altogether. Grand Chute dropped its Flock contract and transitioned to Axon as the vendor for its cameras.
In Kaukauna, officials requested that the company deactivate and remove its hardware following the contract expiration, though municipal leaders noted that the manufacturer had not yet responded to the removal request. Future investigations in the city will rely on alternate surveillance technologies as local leaders evaluate their options.
