Sens. Britt and Warnock ask DOJ for ALPR misuse guardrails, citing stalking cases

First reported: September 24, 2026 · 1 source

U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting that the Department of Justice issue guidance to state and local agencies on preventing misuse of automated license plate reader systems. The senators wrote that at least 50 officers nationwide have been charged with or accused of abusing ALPR systems, including at least 30 cases allegedly involving the stalking of current, former or prospective romantic partners. They suggested safeguards such as stronger access controls, audits, supervisory review and discipline or prosecution for intentional misuse, and asked DOJ to disclose federal funding and oversight details by Oct. 21. Britt said she supports the technology's aim and is seeking safeguards rather than restrictions.

Why this matters

The letter frames ALPR oversight as a bipartisan federal question, and any DOJ guidance or grant conditions could shape audit and access-control practices for the thousands of local agencies using the systems.

Key facts

Letter sent to Attorney General Todd Blanche by Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.); DOJ asked to respond by Oct. 21.
Senators cite at least 50 officers charged with or accused of ALPR abuse, including 30-plus cases allegedly involving romantic partners; one police chief allegedly ran a former partner's and her daughter's tags about 600 times over 13 months.
Requested disclosures include federal funding spent on ALPRs, grant oversight, training and whether federal agencies audited their own systems for unauthorized searches.
Alabama rules currently require access logs and limit commercialization but permit five-year data retention; State Sen. Arthur Orr has floated warrant requirements, shorter retention and stiffer penalties.
Florida recently barred local police from using plate readers on state highways, and Texas paused state funding for the technology.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Senator Britt pushes for DOJ oversight of Flock cameras to stop 'bad actor' misuse – not restrict the technology (Yellowhammer News, September 24, 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 September 25, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.