Documented Incident
House Oversight Democrats Press FBI Director on Plan to Buy ALPR Systems Including Flock
Event: October 2, 2026 · First reported: October 2, 2026 · 2 sources
On October 2, 2026, Reps. Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Greg Casar (TX-35) sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel seeking information about a May 2026 Request for Proposals to acquire automated license plate reader systems, naming vendors such as Flock Safety and Motorola Solutions. The RFP, as described by the lawmakers, seeks the ability to search plate data along with vehicle descriptions, time and date parameters, and geolocation criteria. The members, both House Oversight Committee ranking members on subcommittees, said direct FBI access to these commercial camera networks would substantially expand the plate data the bureau holds and enable what they described as "near real time" surveillance of civilians. They asked for a response by October 16, 2026.
The letter raises the question of whether a federal agency can obtain broad access to camera networks that were deployed and funded at the local level, largely without local consent to federal use. How the FBI answers could shape expectations for data-sharing limits in every community that hosts ALPR cameras.
Key facts
- Letter sent October 2, 2026 by Reps. Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Greg Casar (TX-35) to FBI Director Kash Patel.
- The FBI issued the ALPR Request for Proposals in May 2026; a contract award has not been reported in the release.
- The RFP reportedly seeks searches by plate, vehicle description, time/date, and geolocation.
- The FBI already shares license plate reader information with partners through the National Crime Information Center.
- Lawmakers requested responses by October 16, 2026; the FBI's reply is not reflected in this release.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Brown, Casar Demand Answers on FBI’s Plan to Buy Mass Surveillance Systems, Including Flock Cameras (shontelbrown.house.gov, October 2, 2026)
- Casar, Brown Demand Answers on FBI’s Plan to Buy Flock Cameras and Other Mass Surveillance Systems (House.gov, October 2, 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 October 4, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.