LAPD Suspends Use of Flock Safety Surveillance Cameras Over Privacy Concerns

The Los Angeles Police Department has allowed its three-year contract with surveillance giant Flock Safety to expire as of July 11, 2026. LAPD Chief Information Officer Dean Gialamas cited serious concerns over civil liberties, data ownership, and privacy. While Flock Safety operates 138 pole-mounted cameras in L.A. to track stolen vehicles and fugitives, advocacy groups allege the company shares data with ICE, sparking local protests and lawsuits. The LAPD is seeking stricter contractual terms to safeguard citizen data before resuming any partnership.

Flock Safety contract suspension

• ▪The Los Angeles Police Department allowed its three-year contract with surveillance technology company Flock Safety to expire on July 11, 2026
• ▪The Los Angeles Police Department suspended its use of Flock Safety's license plate-reading cameras over concerns regarding civil liberties, privacy, and data security

Data ownership dispute

• ▪The Los Angeles Police Department and Flock Safety are in ongoing contract negotiations to clarify terms regarding data ownership, security, and storage
• ▪The Los Angeles Police Department is seeking updated contract language to establish clear terms on who owns the captured footage and what happens to the data once collected

Privacy rights concerns

• ▪The advocacy group Stop LAPD Spying filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department and the City of Los Angeles to obtain records related to the use of Flock Safety's camera network
• ▪Advocacy groups and protesters have criticized Flock Safety, expressing concern that the company's surveillance data could assist federal immigration crackdowns

ICE data-sharing allegations

• ▪Flock Safety stated that it does not share customer data with any entity, including federal authorities, without permission, and that its technology complies with California laws limiting data sharing
• ▪Left-wing advocacy groups have accused Flock Safety of sharing license plate data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to track undocumented immigrants

License plate reader technology

• ▪Flock Safety operates a network of at least 80,000 cameras across the United States and counts more than 6,000 customers.
• ▪Automated license plate readers automatically photograph license plates, convert the numbers to text, and record the exact location, date, and time of the scan

LAPD surveillance statistics

• ▪An audit by Los Angeles Police Department Inspector General Matthew Barragan revealed that the department's automatic license plate reader system includes 248 pole-mounted cameras, 140 roof-mounted cameras, 1,500 in-vehicle cameras, and seven mobile trailer cameras
• ▪In 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department's license plate cameras conducted 1,132,441,520 reads, which resulted in 301,655 database hits