St. Louis County police say they restrict ALPR access as St. Charles County drops Flock contract

First reported: September 3, 2026 · 1 source

St. Louis County Police told KMOV they have narrowed who inside the department can view data from their automated license plate reader network, which they say has operated for more than five years. Unlike neighboring St. Charles County, which ended its contract with Flock Safety last month over privacy and misuse concerns, St. Louis County owns its camera system outright — something officials say gives them more control over how data is stored and used. Department detectives credit the cameras with aiding investigations ranging from minor offenses to missing persons and homicides. The report does not detail the specific access rules, audit practices, or retention periods.

Why this matters

The contrast between one county cancelling a vendor contract and a neighboring county tightening internal controls illustrates the range of responses agencies are weighing as scrutiny of ALPR systems grows.

Key facts

St. Charles County Police ended its Flock Safety contract in August 2026, citing privacy and misuse concerns.
St. Louis County Police say they own their ALPR network outright rather than leasing it from a vendor.
The department says its system has been in operation for more than five years.
Officials say access to camera data has been limited, though the specific restrictions were not detailed in the report.

Sources

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

St. Louis County PD limits access to who can view license plate reader camera, department says (KMOV, September 3, 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 7, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.