Documented Incident
Grass Valley police indefinitely suspend use of Flock license plate readers
Event: August 11, 2026 · First reported: August 12, 2026 · 10 sources
Grass Valley Police Chief Alex Gammelgard announced at an August 11, 2026 City Council meeting that the department will indefinitely suspend its use of automated license plate readers, including Flock Safety cameras. Gammelgard said the decision followed a review of the technology, community feedback, and shifts in how government agencies are using ALPR systems, and cited open questions about warrantless data collection, retention, security, product development uses, and data sharing. The Grass Valley City Council had first approved ALPRs unanimously in 2021, and dozens of residents had protested the Flock contract at a May 29 council meeting.
A police chief framing ALPR data practices as Fourth Amendment questions — and pausing a program his own council approved 5-0 — offers other jurisdictions a template for revisiting surveillance contracts already in place.
Key facts
- Announced August 11, 2026 at a Grass Valley City Council meeting; suspension described as indefinite.
- Chief Alex Gammelgard said ALPR issues "can certainly be defined as 4th Amendment issues."
- Council originally approved ALPR use 5-0 in 2021, citing violent crime and retail theft.
- Residents protested the Flock contract at a May 29 council meeting; some said the review should have come before adoption.
- CBS reported ALPRs remain in use elsewhere in the Sacramento region, including Elk Grove, Folsom, Yolo County, Placer County, and Rancho Cordova, which signed a five-year, $1 million-plus Flock contract for 53 cameras.
Timeline
- August 12, 2026Grass Valley police indefinitely suspend Flock license plate cameras
- August 12, 2026Grass Valley Police suspends fixed-point license plate readers, cancels Flock Safety contract
- September 7, 2026Grass Valley police remove re-installed Flock cameras after end of contract
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Grass Valley police indefinitely suspend Flock license plate cameras (CBS News, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley Police suspends fixed-point license plate readers, cancels Flock Safety contract (Yahoo, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley Police suspends fixed-point license plate readers, cancels Flock Safety contract (ABC10, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley Police Department indefinitely suspends the use of fixed - point ALPR readers within City limits (yubanet.com, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley cancels Flock contract for license plate reading cameras (Kcra, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley police leave Flock over data privacy concerns (Fox40 News, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley police leave Flock over data privacy concerns (FOX40, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley police halt use of Flock license plate cameras amid privacy concerns (Sacramento Bee, August 12, 2026)
- Grass Valley police remove re-installed Flock cameras after end of contract (Kcra, September 7, 2026)
- Grass Valley police remove re-installed Flock cameras after contract ends (Yahoo! News, September 7, 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 8, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.