Documented Incident
Cross-partisan backlash to Flock ALPR cameras grows, from Idaho Falls group to state and federal bills
First reported: August 12, 2026 · 1 source
A New York Post report published August 12, 2026 describes opposition to Flock Safety's automated license plate readers coming from both progressive and conservative critics. It profiles Brian McKellar, a 40-year-old self-described conservative in Idaho Falls who launched DeFlock Idaho this summer to press city councils to reject the cameras and to file public records requests. The piece cites reported misuse cases, misread plates, and legislative responses, while Flock says its technology supported more than 1 million investigations in 2025 and that surveillance decisions belong to local communities and elected officials.
The account suggests ALPR oversight is being contested locally and in legislatures rather than through any uniform national standard, which leaves retention periods, audit requirements, and search-purpose documentation to individual jurisdictions.
Key facts
- Flock says it has 120,000 active cameras in the US and that its technology was used in 20% of solved cases in participating jurisdictions in 2025, with more than 10,000 missing people located.
- The Institute for Justice reports 39 cases over the past five years of police using ALPR systems for romantic stalking; a former Richmond County deputy is alleged to have queried a woman's plate 1,639 times.
- An internal Roseville, California police analysis found 71% of stolen or felony-vehicle alerts contained misread plate numbers, according to the article.
- California's Senate Bill 1013 would mandate officer training, annual audits, and search logs; Rep. Thomas Massie proposed withholding funding from jurisdictions using Flock. Both remain proposals.
- The Guardian counted at least 33 instances of camera vandalism across 23 states; one New Mexico man was arrested in July on allegations he destroyed three cameras.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Dems and Republicans unite behind a common enemy: Flock cameras that are ‘documenting everybody all the time’ (New York Post, August 12, 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 August 13, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.