Documented Incident
Colorado Woman Sues Flock and Two Towns Over Package-Theft Summons Based on ALPR Hit
First reported: October 10, 2026 · 4 sources
Chrisanna Elser, who was issued a criminal summons over the alleged theft of a $25 porch package in Colorado, has filed a proposed class action in U.S. District Court in Denver against Flock Group, the towns of Columbine Valley and Bow Mar, Sgt. Jamie Milliman and Chief Bret Cottrell. According to the complaint, the accusation rested on a Flock Safety automated license plate reader hit placing her forest green Rivian in Bow Mar on the day a package went missing; Elser says she spent two weeks assembling exculpatory evidence, including footage from her vehicle's onboard cameras, while the department did not return her calls. The suit alleges warrantless location tracking violated her constitutional rights and brings claims of intrusion upon seclusion, negligence, and negligent design against Flock. Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel said the system accurately located her vehicle and that interpreting that data was law enforcement's responsibility, adding the company will defend itself vigorously.
The case asks a federal court to decide whether a private ALPR vendor can be held liable for the design of a searchable location archive, and whether warrant, case-number, and supervisor-approval requirements should be mandatory before police run a plate. Its outcome could shape data-retention and access rules for agencies well beyond the two Colorado towns named.
Key facts
- Filed in U.S. District Court in Denver against Flock Group, Columbine Valley, Bow Mar, Sgt. Jamie Milliman and Chief Bret Cottrell, on behalf of Elser and other Coloradans whose plates were logged.
- The underlying allegation involved a porch package valued at $25; Elser says she did not commit the theft.
- Claims against Flock include intrusion upon seclusion, negligence and negligent design, based on the assertion that the company did not require a warrant, case number, or supervisor sign-off before a plate search.
- Requested relief includes deletion of retained location data and a court order barring retention unless tied to an open case number.
- Flock said its technology correctly identified the vehicle's location and that investigative interpretation rested with police; the allegations have not been tested in court.
Timeline
- October 10, 2026Another Woman Sues Flock For Mistaken Crime Accusation By Police - and for Surveillance
- October 13, 2026Colorado woman sues Flock and police over ‘Orwellian’ surveillance one year after being falsely accused of theft: ‘Utterly disturbing and very creepy’
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Another Woman Sues Flock For Mistaken Crime Accusation By Police - and for Surveillance (Slashdot, October 10, 2026)
- Colorado woman sues Flock and police over ‘Orwellian’ surveillance one year after being falsely accused of theft: ‘Utterly disturbing and very creepy’ (AOL.com, October 13, 2026)
- Colorado woman sues Flock and police over ‘Orwellian’ surveillance after being falsely accused of theft (Yahoo Finance, October 13, 2026)
- Colorado woman sues Flock and police over ‘Orwellian’ surveillance after being falsely accused of theft (moneywise.com, October 13, 2026)
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About this record
BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.
Updated October 13, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.