DC Police Union alleges MPD failed to enforce controls on Flock and license plate reader systems

First reported: September 10, 2026 · 18 sources

The DC Police Union said Thursday that the Metropolitan Police Department has not negotiated or enforced adequate controls over its license plate reader and Flock camera systems. Union president Gregg Pemberton said the system's full capabilities remain undisclosed and accused MPD of tightening rules on rank-and-file officers while declining to investigate officials he alleges misused the system. The union says it identified improper use through Flock data in July 2026, filed misconduct complaints, and brought a class grievance that was denied; the grievance is headed to arbitration. MPD responded that its LPR policy, updated in April 2026, is stringent and that its use of LPR in an internal affairs misconduct investigation of a union member was appropriate.

Why this matters

The dispute raises questions about who audits ALPR queries inside a department and whether the same logging and justification standards apply to supervisors as to line officers. It is a rare instance of a police union, rather than privacy advocates, pressing for transparency about a surveillance system's capabilities and guardrails.

Key facts

The DC Police Union says it identified improper Flock system use in July 2026 and filed misconduct complaints plus a class grievance.
The grievance was denied; the union says MPD issued a teletype restricting department-wide access the same day.
MPD says its LPR policy was updated in April 2026 and that using LPR in an internal affairs investigation of a union member was appropriate.
The misconduct complaints remained active as of Thursday, and the denied grievance is proceeding to arbitration.
The allegations have not been adjudicated; no findings of misconduct have been reported.

Timeline

September 10, 2026DC Police Union questions use of Flock cameras, says MPD failed to enforce controls
September 11, 2026DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD
September 11, 2026DC Police Union Says MPD Buried Flock Camera Grievance, Heads to Arbitration
September 12, 2026DC Police Union accuses management of improperly using Flock camera data, sparking council debate

Sources

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

DC Police Union questions use of Flock cameras, says MPD failed to enforce controls (DC News Now, September 10, 2026)
DC Police Union questions use of Flock cameras, says MPD failed to enforce controls (DC News Now, September 10, 2026)
DC Police Union questions department use of Flock camera system – NBC4 Washington (nbcwashington.com, September 11, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (KEYE, September 11, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (Kutv, September 10, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (WJLA, September 10, 2026)
DC police union says department needs more guardrails for Flock camera use (Newsbreak, September 11, 2026)
DC Police Union Says MPD Buried Flock Camera Grievance, Heads to Arbitration (Hoodline, September 11, 2026)
Why DC police union is challenging MPD use of Flock cameras (Usa Today, September 11, 2026)
Why the DC Police Union Is Challenging MPD Use of Flock Cameras (moneytalksnews.com, September 11, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (KHGI, September 11, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (WXLV, September 10, 2026)
DC Police Union accuses management of improperly using Flock camera data, sparking council debate (Newsbreak, September 12, 2026)
DC Police Union calls for regulations on Flock cameras, claiming MPD management has used data improperly (wusa9.com, September 10, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (WGXA, September 11, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (KTUL, September 10, 2026)
DC Police Union alleges improper use of Flock camera data by MPD (thenationaldesk.com, September 10, 2026)
Why DC police union is challenging MPD use of Flock cameras (Yahoo, September 11, 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 September 15, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.