Documented Incident
South Pasadena Ends One Flock Contract Early, Lets Second Expire, in 4–1 Council Vote
Event: March 18, 2026 · First reported: October 15, 2026 · 3 sources
On Wednesday, March 18, the South Pasadena City Council voted 4–1 to end one of the city's two contracts with Flock Safety early and to let the second contract lapse five months later. Student newspaper Tiger reported that concerns about data sharing with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and out-of-state third parties, along with reported cases of cameras incorrectly flagging vehicles against hot lists, drove the decision. The city had leased 27 Flock cameras; 13 cameras near the city's perimeter remained operating while officials looked at replacement vendors, including a service identified in council discussions as PlateRanger. The article describes South Pasadena as the first city in Los Angeles County to discontinue its Flock contracts.
A city stepping away from an existing ALPR vendor over data-sharing and accuracy concerns offers other councils a template for mid-contract review, while the search for a replacement vendor shows that cancellation does not necessarily end license plate surveillance.
Key facts
- Council voted 4–1 on March 18 to terminate one Flock contract early and allow the other to expire five months later.
- South Pasadena leased 27 Flock cameras; 13 perimeter cameras stayed active during the transition.
- Tiger Newspaper cites data access by ICE and out-of-state third parties, plus misidentified vehicles on hot lists, as factors in the vote.
- Mayor Sheila Rossi described weighing surveillance risks against residents' experiences with theft, and called for public discussion of regulations.
- PlateRanger was raised in council meetings as a possible replacement ALPR service; the article does not report a final vendor decision.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- South Pasadena City Council Terminates Contract with Flock (Tiger Newspaper, October 15, 2026)
- County terminates Flock contract (Clintonherald, October 16, 2026)
- Midland Terminates Flock Camera Contract (Texas Scorecard, October 15, 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 October 19, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.