Communities contest municipal Flock Safety ALPR contracts
PUBLISHED May 20, 2026, 6:09 PM ET
Read, Watch or Listen
Cleveland activists urged city leaders Wednesday to end the city’s contract with Flock Safety and remove automated license plate readers from public streets, while residents in Chandler and Troy attended city meetings this week to oppose or seek stricter limits on Flock ALPR camera deployments and to demand transparent data access and retention policies. Cleveland officials are weighing a one-year extension to the Flock contract this week, and city council safety committees across municipalities are scheduling further reviews; Chandler police report 40 active cameras and a proposed $153,000 contract renewal on Thursday. Organizers including East Valley Unite’s Nathan Taylortaft and Flock No have called for removal, while Troy leaders announced a 60-day data review.
By Daniel Hayes | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- Late last year: Flock No formed after a proposed emergency expansion raised bidding concerns.
- March: Troy residents first raised public concerns about Flock ALPR deployment.
- This week (Wednesday): Cleveland activists held a news conference urging removal and opposing contract extension.
- This week (Thursday): Chandler residents planned to attend a city council vote over a $153,000 renewal for 40 cameras.
- Recent: A podcast discussion highlighted Flock’s potential role in an Austin shooting investigation and investor ties.
News Intelligence
- Flock Safety's ALPR cameras are popping up in cities like Cleveland, Chandler, and Troy. These cameras read license plates, potentially impacting your privacy. If you're concerned, check your city's contract with Flock Safety and voice your opinion at city council meetings.
- Articles Published:
- 5
- Right Leaning:
- 1
- Left Leaning:
- 0
- Neutral:
- 4
- Distribution:
- Left 0%, Center 80%, Right 20%
Law enforcement agencies and Flock Safety, whose investors include Andreessen Horowitz, benefit from ALPR deployment through investigative data access and contract revenue opportunities.
Local residents, particularly immigrant and Hispanic communities, along with privacy advocates, suffered increased concern over surveillance, data collection, retention policies and perceived targeting raised at multiple city meetings.
Coverage of Story:
From Left
No left-leaning sources found for this story.
From Center
Communities contest municipal Flock Safety ALPR contracts
WEWS abc15 Arizona WRGB abc15 ArizonaFrom Right
Joe Rogan, Marc Andreessen discuss Austin shooting spree, Flock cameras and policing tech debate
Police1
Comments