DC Council member sends MPD 10 questions on Flock plate reader use after union allegations

Event: September 15, 2026 · First reported: September 15, 2026 · 1 source

D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto, who chairs the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, sent the Metropolitan Police Department a letter with 10 questions about its use of Flock Safety automated license plate readers, posting it to X on Monday and asking for a response by the close of business Thursday. The letter follows allegations made the previous week by the president of the D.C. Police Union that department managers had queried the system for noncriminal matters, which the union said would breach department policy and Flock's user agreement. Pinto is also asking for details from a recently completed MPD audit of its Flock usage, including whether any misuse was identified. The allegations have not been established as findings, and MPD's response was not reported.

Why this matters

The exchange tests whether internal audits and written usage policies are enforceable in practice, and how much of that oversight is disclosed publicly. How D.C. handles the union's claims may shape expectations for ALPR accountability in other jurisdictions using the same vendor.

Key facts

Pinto's letter, posted to X on Monday, poses 10 questions to MPD and requests a reply by end of business Thursday.
The D.C. Police Union's president alleged the prior week that department managers accessed the ALPR system for noncriminal investigations, which the union characterized as a policy and user-agreement violation.
MPD recently finished an audit of its Flock license plate reader use; Pinto is requesting the findings and any follow-up actions.
Pinto said the cameras can aid investigations into stolen vehicles and missing persons, but argued safeguards are needed to prevent officers from running unrelated lookups.
Flock's website says its cameras capture high-resolution images recording plate, make, model, color, and features such as bumper stickers or roof racks.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Following abuse allegations, DC Council member demands answers on Flock cameras (WTOP News, September 15, 2026)

More from District of Columbia

Everything we have documented in District of Columbia, or search every District of Columbia article in the archive.

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 September 16, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.