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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedAugust 13, 2026Miami-Dade

Flock Safety mandates new privacy guardrails for law enforcement users

Flock Safety is requiring all law enforcement customers to implement mandatory audit tools, shorten data retention windows, and link searches to specific case numbers by January 1. These changes aim to address privacy concerns and prevent unauthorized use of the company's license plate reader network by police officers.

surveillanceprivacylaw enforcementtechnologydata security
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Why It Matters

The policy change affects how police departments across 49 states store and access vehicle tracking data, potentially limiting the scope of surveillance and reducing unauthorized personal searches by officers.

Key Facts

  • Flock Safety is mandating new privacy guardrails for all law enforcement customers by Jan. 1.
  • The standard data retention window for license plate data is being reduced from 30 days to 7 days.
  • Law enforcement users must now enter a case number from their records management system before running a search.
  • An automated audit tool will flag abnormal search behavior and lock users out pending internal review.
  • Emergency search overrides will be automatically flagged for review.
  • Customers can now restrict which offense types outside agencies can search for, allowing them to block immigration-related searches.
  • Nearly 50 instances of police officers misusing the technology for personal searches have been documented.
  • More than 50 agencies or jurisdictions have canceled or suspended their contracts with Flock since the beginning of the year.
  • Flock's network operates in 49 states.
  • Six employees of the Savannah Police Department were recently fired for using the system to search for friends and family.

Who's Mentioned

personGarrett Langley“CEO of Flock Safety.”organizationDeFlock“Grassroots group tracking license plate reader usage.”organizationSavannah Police Department“Police department that fired employees for misusing the technology.”organizationInstitute for Justice“Public interest law firm.”organizationFlock Safety“Surveillance technology company providing license plate reader networks.”organizationAmerican Civil Liberties Union“Civil liberties advocacy group.”