Cities across the United States are canceling contracts with Flock Safety, a company that installs AI-powered surveillance cameras capable of reading license plates, tracking vehicles, and identifying people based on physical features and clothing. In at least two cities, local officials have resorted to covering the cameras with black garbage bags to keep them offline while contract negotiations play out.
According to a report by CNET, local governments in Dayton, Ohio and Evanston, Illinois both used trash bags to disable Flock automatic license plate reader cameras after deciding to end their contracts but before the physical hardware could be removed. The low-tech solution prevents outside agencies from accessing footage while the formal process of ending the contracts continues.
Dayton's decision to act came after a review found that its 72 Flock cameras had been involved in what officials described as egregious data-sharing violations. The review found 7,100 searches logged for immigration-related reasons. The city suspended its Flock program, launched a full audit, and covered the cameras. The Dayton Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and other regional agencies have denied public records requests from the Dayton Daily News for audit and related records about the use and sharing of Flock camera data. Officials claim the records are exempt from disclosure, while the newspaper disputes that position.
Evanston's situation took a different turn. The city ordered Flock to remove its 19 cameras in 2025. City officials later discovered that only some had been removed and that cameras were reinstalled days later without apparent authorization. The city sent a cease-and-desist letter, and the city council then moved to fully shut down the system to avoid further problems, costs, or potential legal exposure.
Residents in communities across the country have pushed for the removal of Flock cameras following reports that data collected by the systems has been shared with federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Critics have also raised concerns about local police using the systems to track individuals, including in personal disputes.
The technology can identify people based on physical features or clothing and allow officers to search a person's movements and routines. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is among those who have argued that the system's capabilities make abuse almost inevitable. Additional concerns have been raised about the placement of cameras in sensitive locations, including pools and children's gymnastics facilities.
Not every city has moved against Flock. In Bandera, Texas, a city of roughly 900 residents located about 50 miles northwest of San Antonio, at least one city council member responded to the cancellation of the city's Flock contract with frustration, going so far as to float a ban in response.
The situation in multiple cities points to a broader tension between police departments, which often operate the cameras, and the city governments that technically hold the contracts. In some cases, departments are not required to record the reason for their Flock searches, leaving local officials with limited visibility into how the systems are actually being used.
