Why cities keep Flock cameras despite protests
Feb 22nd 2026
Municipalities are signing and keeping Flock license plate readers because vendors offer low upfront costs, policing benefits, and funding offsets, even as communities raise privacy and civil liberty concerns.
- Vendors often install cameras with little or no upfront cost and recoup money through subscription fees or long term contracts.
- Police and city officials are sold on quick investigative leads and higher odds of recovering stolen vehicles.
- Some deals include grants, private funding, or revenue sharing that reduce pressure on local budgets.
- Sales pitches promise smart city benefits like traffic data and permit enforcement that appeal beyond policing needs.
- Procurement complexity and vendor relationships let councils approve contracts with limited public debate.
- Evidence of long term crime reduction is mixed, but promise of faster case work drives adoption.
- Main downsides are privacy violations, federal agency access like ICE, legal exposure, public backlash, and vandalism costs.