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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 making several previously optional privacy features mandatory for all law enforcement customers by January 1, including automated audit tools and stricter data retention policies. These changes follow reports of officers misusing the license plate reader network for unauthorized personal searches and growing public backlash.

surveillanceprivacylaw enforcementtechnologydata security
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Why It Matters

The changes affect how police departments across 49 states store, access, and share vehicle location data, potentially limiting the scope of surveillance and reducing unauthorized use of the system.

Key Facts

  • Flock Safety is mandating new privacy guardrails for all law enforcement customers by January 1.
  • The standard data retention window for recorded 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 that flags abnormal search behavior will become mandatory for all users.
  • Users will be locked out of the system pending internal review if the audit tool detects abnormal behavior.
  • Emergency search overrides will now be automatically flagged for internal review.
  • Customers can now restrict which offense types outside agencies can search for, allowing them to block searches related to immigration enforcement.
  • More than 50 agencies or jurisdictions have canceled, suspended, or rejected contracts with Flock since the beginning of the year.
  • Nearly 50 instances of police officers using the cameras for unauthorized purposes have been documented.
  • Flock operates in 49 states.

Who's Mentioned

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