Documented Incident
Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Investigating Two Flock Cameras Cut Down
First reported: August 19, 2026 · 2 sources
The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office said two Flock Safety cameras — one in the northern part of the county and one in the west — were disabled after someone cut down the poles they were mounted on. Sgt. Josh Hastings said investigators believe saws were used and described the incidents as vandalism for a personal reason, adding that the office is tracking a broader national pattern of similar acts. No arrests were reported, and Hastings said whoever is responsible would face at least a criminal mischief charge, with more serious charges possible depending on what the investigation finds.
As ALPR networks expand through a mix of public and private buyers, disputes over their oversight are increasingly playing out physically as well as politically, and agency assurances about access controls are difficult for the public to independently verify.
Key facts
- Two Flock cameras were destroyed by cutting down their mounting poles, per the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
- More than 50 Flock cameras are installed across Tuscaloosa County by public agencies and private clients, including Alabama Power, local businesses and city governments, according to prior Tuscaloosa Thread reporting.
- Sgt. Josh Hastings said the cameras have helped solve murders and robberies, including a fatal Northport hit-and-run earlier in the year.
- Hastings said TCSO has safeguards limiting who can access Flock footage, acknowledging misuse has occurred elsewhere; the article does not detail those measures.
- Damaged cameras will be replaced, Hastings said. No suspect has been identified.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Sheriff’s Office Investigating Destruction of Two Flock Cameras in Tuscaloosa County (Tuscaloosa Thread, August 19, 2026)
- Two Flock Camera Vandalized in Tuscaloosa County (Newsbreak, August 20, 2026)
More from Alabama
Everything we have documented in Alabama, or search every Alabama article in the archive.
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 August 20, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.