Documented Incident
Fliers warning of a Flock camera at a Southeast Portland store prompt calls for disclosure
Event: August 31, 2026 · First reported: September 1, 2026 · 1 source
Handmade signs posted around Southeast Cesar Chavez and Hawthorne boulevards in Portland claim a camera in a Fred Meyer parking lot is a Flock device capturing license plate and vehicle data that ICE uses for immigration enforcement. Neither Fred Meyer nor Flock responded to KOIN's questions about whether the camera belongs to Flock, and the claims on the fliers remain unverified. The Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office each said they do not use Flock cameras, while the sheriff's office noted that private property owners may install their own security cameras. City Councilor Angelita Morillo said she cannot confirm what the camera is, and that Flock has not delivered information her office requested months ago.
When private businesses can install camera systems without public disclosure, residents and even elected officials may be unable to determine what is being recorded or with whom the data is shared — a gap that bears on how cities structure surveillance oversight and vendor transparency requirements.
Key facts
- Fliers in Southeast Portland allege a camera in a Fred Meyer parking lot at SE Cesar Chavez and Hawthorne is a Flock device feeding data used for immigration enforcement; the claim is unverified.
- Councilor Angelita Morillo said her office asked Flock months ago for camera counts, surveillance locations, data retention and sharing practices; she said the company promised a response but never provided one.
- The Portland Police Bureau and Multnomah County Sheriff's Office both said they do not use Flock cameras.
- The Washington County Sheriff's Office has used some Flock products, including trailers; Cpl. David Huey said trailer-mounted cameras are not necessarily license plate readers.
- Fred Meyer and Flock did not respond to KOIN's requests to confirm the camera's ownership.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Flock camera warnings spark demand for transparency in Southeast Portland (Koin.com, September 1, 2026)
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Updated September 1, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.