Documented Incident
Henrico County revokes Flock ALPR access for 10 fire marshals after review finds state-law gap
Event: August 18, 2026 · First reported: August 20, 2026 · 4 sources
Henrico County officials said that on Aug. 18 the Police Division, working with the County Attorney's Office, rescinded access to the Flock license plate reader system for 10 members of the Fire Marshal's Office. Virginia law effective July 1, 2025 restricts ALPR database access to police, sheriffs and certain other law enforcement, and Henrico's fire marshals are fire department employees despite receiving police academy training, carrying firearms and making arrests. The county said an internal review found the marshals' searches were consistent with the state ALPR statute and were used for law enforcement purposes. The access came to light after fire marshals used Flock in a home-arson investigation.
The case illustrates how access to ALPR databases can be extended to personnel who fall outside statutory eligibility, and how such gaps may go unnoticed until a specific case draws attention.
Key facts
- Access was rescinded on Aug. 18 for 10 members of the Henrico County Fire Marshal's Office.
- Virginia's ALPR statute, in effect since July 1, 2025, limits database access to police, sheriffs and select other law enforcement.
- County Attorney Andrew Newby said fire marshals pulled Flock plate data in five arson cases over the past year and that he found no misuse for personal reasons.
- Newby said none of those five cases has gone to trial and that the Flock evidence will not be admissible.
- Newby said no repercussions are planned for the officers involved, and future access must run through the Police Division.
Timeline
- August 20, 2026Henrico pulls Flock camera access for 10 fire marshals
- August 20, 2026flock cameras
- August 20, 2026flock cameras
- August 21, 2026Henrico revokes fire investigators' access to license-plate reader system; 5 criminal cases affected
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Henrico pulls Flock camera access for 10 fire marshals (WWBT, August 20, 2026)
- flock cameras (Https://www.12onyourside.com, August 20, 2026)
- flock cameras (Https://www.29news.com, August 20, 2026)
- Henrico revokes fire investigators' access to license-plate reader system; 5 criminal cases affected (Henrico Citizen, August 21, 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 23, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.