Documented Incident
Menlo Park revokes all ALPR data-sharing deals after audit finds ~700 noncompliant searches
First reported: August 27, 2026 · 2 sources
A June audit by the Menlo Park Police Department found that the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center had run searches of the city's Flock Safety license plate reader data that violated city policy, the second such discovery in about a year. Of 214,147 NCRIC searches reviewed since February 2025, roughly 0.33% — about 700 — were noncompliant based on the stated search reason, and department spokesperson Nicole Acker said they involved federal agencies investigating violent crime, fugitives, human trafficking and crimes against children. California law bars local agencies from sharing ALPR data with federal or out-of-state law enforcement. The department revoked all existing sharing agreements on July 9 and now requires outside agencies to sign new city-specific agreements and commit to periodic audits.
Menlo Park's response shows a city attempting to rebuild ALPR data-sharing controls after repeated policy violations, and its experience — including how few outside agencies have re-signed — offers a concrete test case for other jurisdictions weighing audits, restrictions or cancellation.
Key facts
- Menlo Park operates 35 ALPR cameras through Flock Safety; it previously shared data with 242 California agencies, and only five have been granted access under the new terms.
- Acker said the audit found no searches tied to immigration enforcement or ICE.
- In August 2025, The Almanac reported Menlo Park had mistakenly left access open to police departments in Houston, Texas, and an Illinois town.
- A first quarterly external audit covering April–June reviewed 122,450 outside searches and 377 searches by Menlo Park officers and found no noncompliance.
- Nearby cities reported related problems: Mountain View canceled its Flock contract, Redwood City's chief disclosed at least 99 improper searches, and Palo Alto is hiring an outside auditor after unknowingly opting into a national sharing database.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Menlo Park overhauls license plate reader sharing after discovering more improper searches (The Almanac, August 27, 2026)
- Menlo Park overhauls license plate reader sharing after discovering more improper searches (Palo Alto Online, August 27, 2026)
More from California
Everything we have documented in California, or search every California article in the archive.
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 29, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.