The Los Angeles Police Department has allowed its three-year agreement with Flock Safety, a leading provider of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras, to expire rather than renewing it.
Department officials cited unresolved concerns over privacy, civil liberties, data sharing, and security as reasons for not extending the contract.
Why LAPD Walked Away
“This contract is not being renewed because of serious concerns around civil liberties and civil rights issues, particularly around privacy and the data that is being collected from these cameras,” LAPD Chief Information Officer Dean Gialamas told ABC 7.
Flock’s network captures images of passing vehicles and their license plates, allowing authorized users to search for vehicles linked to active criminal investigations.
According to the LAPD, the system is not used for immigration enforcement, and officers must have an active case and training before accessing the database.
However, the department decided that the benefits of renewing the existing agreement were outweighed by the concerns.
The decision does not mean Flock cameras will disappear from Los Angeles immediately, as many are owned by neighborhood associations, businesses, and other organizations, not the city itself.
LAPD says it is continuing discussions with Flock to negotiate a revised agreement with stronger language on privacy, security, data retention, and information sharing.
Flock’s technology has faced criticism over misuse, false alerts, and operational challenges. Across the country, authorized users have been accused of improperly accessing license plate databases.
Security researchers and privacy advocates have raised concerns about how agencies manage access to large repositories of vehicle location data.
False alerts have also led to innocent motorists being stopped by police.
Last year, the Oakland Police Department disabled automatic alerts for stolen vehicles because the volume of notifications had become overwhelming, reducing their practical value.
Flock’s Response
Flock Safety said it remains committed to working with LAPD.
“Flock’s position has been simple: if this technology is going to be used, it should be used with strong privacy protections, strict auditability, and clear oversight,” the company said in a statement.
“While this latest development comes as a surprise, we remain committed to continuing our active and ongoing conversations with LAPD to find a path forward.”
It appears the two sides will eventually reach an agreement, and the cameras could go back online. Local citizens organizing against the cameras could also influence the debate.
