Documented Incident
DC police disclose two internal investigations into 'potential misuse' of Flock cameras
First reported: September 18, 2026 · 6 sources
In a letter responding to 10 questions from D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto, interim police Chief Jeffery Carroll said the Metropolitan Police Department's Internal Affairs Division is investigating two cases of potential misuse of Flock Safety license plate reader technology, one of which was flagged by Flock's own auditing tool. The letter did not name any officers or describe the nature of the suspected misuse. Carroll said a broader audit of MPD's Flock use is underway and expected later in 2026, and disputed a D.C. Police Union claim that department management used license plate reader data for noncriminal investigations.
The disclosure shows how council-level questioning can surface internal ALPR misuse investigations that might otherwise remain unreported, and it offers other jurisdictions a reference point on audit tools, retention periods, and data-sharing limits.
Key facts
- Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll said Internal Affairs is investigating two cases of potential misuse; no officers or specific conduct were identified.
- MPD began using Flock in 2025 and has spent over $628,000 between 2024 and 2026 through reseller Insight Public Safety.
- Video retention is set at 90 days, with metadata kept for four years on request; the number of cameras deployed was not disclosed.
- MPD suspended participation in Flock's National Look Up program in January, requiring outside agencies to request evidence through the department.
- Carroll called the police union's claim of noncriminal ALPR use by management untrue; one union grievance was found to involve potentially criminal conduct.
Timeline
- September 18, 2026DC police investigate 2 cases of ‘potential misuse’ of Flock cameras, letter says
- September 22, 2026DC Police investigate 2 potential cases of Flock camera misuse amid councilmember's concerns
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- DC police investigate 2 cases of ‘potential misuse’ of Flock cameras, letter says (wtop.com, September 18, 2026)
- DC police investigate 2 potential cases of Flock camera 'misuse' (wjla.com, September 21, 2026)
- DC Police investigate 2 potential cases of Flock camera misuse amid councilmember's concerns (FOX 5 DC, September 22, 2026)
- DC Police investigate 2 potential cases of Flock camera misuse amid councilmember's concerns (FOX 5 DC, September 22, 2026)
- DC Police investigate 2 potential cases of Flock camera misuse amid councilmember's concerns (Newsbreak, September 22, 2026)
- Stockton police investigate potential misuse of Flock cameras (kcra.com, September 23, 2026)
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 23, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.