Get The Flock Out Toolkit

Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) from troubling companies like Flock Safety are popping up across the country, taking photos of all vehicles that come into view and logging them into massive nationwide databases. These creepy cameras make it possible to track everyone’s movements — even if you haven't been accused of a crime.

We've already seen how this mass surveillance tool can be weaponized and abused. ICE has used Flock to go after immigrants without warrants. Kansas officers used ALPRs to pursue a man who wrote a critical op-ed about the police department. And a Colorado police officer wrongfully accused a woman of theft based on a Flock hit – and then refused to look at evidence proving her innocence.

But communities nationwide are fighting back against mass surveillance – and winning. From Oregon to Rhode Island, city councils are canceling their contracts with Flock in response to public pressure. And our state ACLU affiliates have successfully organized local communities to oppose the creep of mass surveillance into their neighborhoods and to fight ALPRs at the state level.

We've pulled together all their tools, resources, and best practices into this local advocacy toolkit, so you can join the movement and organize your community against mass surveillance.

This toolkit will help you discover whether Flock or other ALPR companies have deployed cameras in your neighborhood. If ALPR cameras have already been installed, we'll give you the model bills and tools you need to pressure your state and local city government to cancel their existing contracts and get these cameras uninstalled. And if Flock hasn't come to your neighborhood yet, we outline steps you can take to prohibit or strictly regulate ALPR cameras before they get a foothold in your community.

One of the biggest problems with ALPR cameras is the lack of transparency. It can be very difficult to find out exactly where these cameras are and what they are recording. Many people have no idea they’re in an area where a camera could be recording them.

Here’s how you can find out where Flock and other ALPR cameras have been placed, or if your city is considering installing them.

• ACLU affiliates in Washington, Iowa, Oregon, and Rhode Island have maps showing where ALPR cameras have been installed in their states.
• Deflock.org has a crowdsourced map showing exact locations of ALPR cameras.
• Have I Been Flocked? has a list of public audits of law enforcement agencies' use of Flock cameras. You can search this list to see if your local law enforcement has a contract with Flock.
• Flock Safety has "transparency portals" with barebones information about their ALPR cameras in those cities. Do a web browser search for your city's name and "Flock transparency portal" to see if your city has one. You can also check this crowdsourced list of Flock transparency portals.
• Check your local news sources for stories about whether your police or city officials considered or signed a contract with an ALPR company like Flock Safety, Axon, Vigilant Solutions (a subsidiary of Motorola Solutions), Genetec, PlateSmart, Innova Systems, Rekor, ELSAG, Perceptics, or Jenoptik.
• Search your city's website to see if there are any announcements or public records about installing ALPR cameras. Check past city council meeting agendas and minutes. Consideration of ALPR contracts could be in the "consent agenda" section. Look for keywords like "automated license plate reader" or the acronym "ALPR". You can also search for the names of ALPR companies, including "Flock", "Axon", "Vigilant", or the other companies listed above.

• Email or call your city council member and ask them directly if your city is considering an ALPR contract. You can find your city council's contact information on your city's website.
• ALPR.watch has a crowdsourced map of local government meetings where ALPR cameras will be on the agenda.

• What specific problem does your community want to address? Does mass surveillance actually fix the issue, or are we just throwing new technology at a problem that it cannot solve?
• Does your city have an ALPR contract? If so, can you get a copy? When does the contract end?
• How many ALPR cameras are in use in your city?
• Where are they located?
• Are they in areas that seem to target particular groups of people? (Low-income neighborhoods, immigrants, people of color, etc.)
• How much is your city paying for ALPRs?
• Did the city council approve the use of ALPRs?
• How long does your city retain its ALPR data and does it share it with others?
• What restrictions are there on police searching the ALPR database to track people's historical movements? Is a warrant required?
• Did your city council vote on the ALPR contract? Was it part of their consent agenda? Was there public education about it? Local agencies should not acquire or deploy new surveillance systems, or expand their surveillance programs, without public discussion and debate.
• Has the city or the police department publicly reported on how ALPRs have been used in your city?

Whether or not Flock has come to your city yet, you can ask your state legislators to pass legislation banning or strictly regulating the use of ALPR cameras.

The ACLU has created model legislation with essential guardrails to protect your data and privacy. Those regulations should include:

• Limiting data retention to hours or days, not weeks or a month or more
• Limiting data sharing by prohibiting sharing with or providing access to any other government entity unless they have a warrant for a felony crime that is recognized under local/state law
• Limiting usage to felony investigations, missing persons cases, identifying unregistered/uninsured vehicles, and certain limited non-enforcement scenarios, like electronic toll collection
• Requiring annual usage reporting and placing limits on the availability of ALPR data via open records requests so it cannot be used for troublesome purposes like stalking or embarrassing a person for entertainment value

You can read the ACLU's model ALPR legislation for state governments here, and a modified bill for local governments here. For local governments looking to cancel their existing Flock contracts, we've drafted a model resolution which you can find here.
Here's a sample email that you can send to your state or local representatives:

As more local city councils and police departments consider contracts for creepy cameras operated by Flock, communities are organizing against mass surveillance – and winning. Even small neighborhood groups have convinced their city council members to cancel their contracts with companies like Flock, deactivating then removing the ALPR cameras.

With momentum only growing nationwide, you can join local organizers — or start a movement — against Flock and ALPRs in your community. Your whereabouts are none of Flock's, or the government's, business. Here are a few suggestions on how to build a movement against Flock and ALPRs in your neighborhood:

• Reach out to your local ACLU affiliate. Many ACLU affiliates are already working to demand transparency about how ALPR cameras are used across their state, inform local city council members and state legislators about the dangers of ALPRs, and pass state legislation limiting their harms. You can find your state on our ACLU Affiliate map at the bottom of our campaign page: Get the Flock Out!
• Find other organizers online through crowdsourced lists like deflock.org/groups that connect individuals with others fighting against ALPR cameras and Flock contracts in their community.
• Strengthen your local movement with coalitions. You may find allies in groups that are more likely to be targeted by malicious ALPR use, such as immigrant rights' groups, persons seeking abortion or gender affirming care, protestors, and groups that oppose government overreach.
• Lead the way by asking your friends, family, and neighbors whether they have heard about Flock or ALPR cameras. Inform them about the dangers of your local government agreeing to Flock contracts and installing ALPR cameras. Encourage them to join you and local groups to advocate against mass surveillance.