LAPD suspends Flock Safety cameras over privacy concerns

The Los Angeles Police Department has suspended its use of Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras, allowing a three-year contract with the company to expire on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The decision follows unresolved disputes over data ownership, privacy safeguards, and how the collected information may be shared with other agencies.

Department officials cited serious concerns regarding civil liberties and civil rights as the reason for not renewing the agreement. Chief Information Officer Dean Gialamas stated the suspension will remain in effect until the department can establish a new contractual relationship that firmly addresses data, privacy, security, and sharing issues. The core disagreement centers on having clear terms about who owns the data collected by the 138 pole-mounted Flock cameras in the city and what happens to it afterward.

The LAPD maintains that automated license plate readers are a powerful investigative tool for locating stolen vehicles and wanted fugitives, scanning over a billion plates in 2024 alone. The department says it enforces strict internal policies and audits to ensure the technology is used only for legitimate law enforcement...