Documented Incident
Resident Group's Review of Monterey Park Flock Logs Alleges Contract and State Law Violations
First reported: September 6, 2026 · 1 source
DeFlock MPK, a Monterey Park resident group, published an analysis of Monterey Park Police Department Flock license plate reader search logs covering May 2025 through July 2026, obtained via a California Public Records Act request. The group says the logs show searches that may conflict with state law or the city's Flock contract, including 428 searches run on behalf of outside agencies, 188 searches tied to traffic enforcement, and thousands of searches lacking case numbers. The group is asking the City Council to release complete logs, expedite release of network access logs, cancel the Flock contract, and remove the cameras. The city and police department's response to the analysis was not included in the report.
The dispute centers on whether an agency's own audit process can verify that ALPR searches stay within contractual and statutory limits, a question facing many cities that have adopted similar systems. Public records logs are one of the few tools residents have to independently test official assurances about data use.
Key facts
- Logs cover May 2025 through July 2026 and were obtained through a California Public Records Act request
- DeFlock MPK reports 428 searches conducted for outside agencies, 53 of which it says are currently blocked from the city's Flock data
- The group counted 188 traffic enforcement searches, a use it says the city's Flock contract prohibits
- 4,799 searches — close to one-third of those reviewed — allegedly lacked case numbers, and 281 had no stated justification
- The group is calling for full log release, contract cancellation, and camera removal; a public teach-in was scheduled for September 12 in Monterey Park
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- DeFlock MPK Analysis Questions Monterey Park Police Use of Flock License Plate Reader Data (ColoradoBoulevard.net, September 6, 2026)
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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.