Fact Sheet
Every superscript number on the printed fact sheet points to one of the 39 sources below. Where we could, we linked the primary document (the study, the audit, the city's own statement) alongside the news coverage. Compiled September 11, 2026. Both Institute for Justice databases update in place, so their counts move; each is cited with the date we read it.. Spot an error? Email [email protected].
Oak Park Citizens' Police Oversight Committee findings via Wednesday Journal, May 20, 2025; Trustee Derek Eder, “Why I voted to cancel Flock cameras,” Sept. 2, 2025
https://www.oakpark.com/2025/05/20/police-oversight-committee-seeks-more-data-on-flock-camera-use/ https://www.oakpark.com/2025/09/02/why-i-voted-to-cancel-flock-cameras/
KUT (Austin NPR), “Austin's ALPR program: 75 million scans, 165 arrests,” June 4, 2025; KUT, “Austin ended its license plate reader program. Then the police department found a loophole,” Feb. 12, 2026
https://www.kut.org/austin/2025-06-04/austin-tx-automatic-license-reader-program-police-data-privacy-flock https://www.kut.org/crime-justice/2026-02-12/austin-tx-apd-flock-cameras-license-plate-readers
Denverite, Apr. 3, 2025; Axios Denver, “Council rejects Flock extension,” May 5, 2025
https://denverite.com/2025/04/03/denver-flock-license-plate-readers-arrests-contract-extension/ https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/05/05/denver-mayor-license-plate-reader-extension-rejected
LAPD Office of the Inspector General, report to the Board of Police Commissioners, July 10, 2026; Straight Arrow News, July 14, 2026
https://www.lapdpolicecom.lacity.org/071426/BPC_26-184x.pdf https://san.com/cc/lapd-cancels-flock-contract-after-cameras-falsely-flagged-vehicles-as-stolen/
Business Insider via Gizmodo, “Flock cameras got the wrong license plate 71% of the time in California city,” July 31, 2026
Institute for Justice, The IJ Database of ALPR Abuse (226 documented incidents as of Sept. 9, 2026); IJ, “Police have reportedly used license plate readers to stalk romantic interests dozens of times in recent years,” Apr. 27, 2026, updated Sept. 3, 2026 (61 verified incidents)
https://ij.org/the-ij-database-of-alpr-abuse/ https://ij.org/police-have-reportedly-used-license-plate-readers-to-stalk-romantic-interests-at-least-14-times-in-recent-years/
CNN, Aurora settlement, Feb. 5, 2024; Yahoo News, Sherwood, Arkansas misread, Feb. 2026
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/05/us/colorado-aurora-settlement-stolen-vehicle-mixup https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/flock-camera-misread-license-plate-140000480.html
625 ILCS 5/2-130 (Public Act 103-0540)
https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/062500050K2-130.htm
Illinois Secretary of State, “Audit finds license plate reader company in violation of state law,” Aug. 25, 2025; Capitol News Illinois, Aug. 27, 2025
https://www.ilsos.gov/news/2025/august-25-2025-giannoulias-audit-finds-license-plate-reader-company-in-violation-of-state-law.html https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/hundreds-of-police-departments-use-camera-company-accused-of-breaking-state-law/
KWQC, “East Moline traffic camera data may have been shared with U.S. Border Protection,” Sept. 5, 2025
404 Media, “A Texas cop searched license plate cameras nationwide for a woman who got an abortion,” May 29, 2025; EFF, Oct. 7, 2025
https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/flock-safety-and-texas-sheriff-claimed-license-plate-search-was-missing-person-it
KCRG, “Coralville removes Flock cameras after council votes to end contract,” Feb. 25, 2026; Iowa Public Radio, Feb. 11, 2026
https://www.kcrg.com/2026/02/25/coralville-removes-flock-cameras-after-council-votes-end-contract/ https://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/2026-02-11/coralville-automated-license-plate-readers-cameras-immigration-attorney-general
ACLU of Iowa, Automated License Plate Readers in Iowa, Dec. 2025
https://www.aclu-ia.org/app/uploads/2025/12/Final-Report-ALPRs-in-Iowa.pdf
FOX6 Milwaukee, “Sheboygan canceling Flock contract over undisclosed data tracking,” Sept. 3, 2026
https://www.fox6now.com/news/sheboygan-canceling-flock-contract-over-undisclosed-data-tracking
Wisconsin Watch / WPR, “Flock Safety cameras in Sheboygan covered up by city,” Aug. 28–29, 2026; TMJ4, Aug. 27, 2026
https://wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisconsin-sheboygan-flock-safety-cameras-covered-up-police-license-plate-reader/ https://www.wpr.org/news/flock-safety-cameras-sheboygan-covered-by-city https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/sheboygan-county/sheboygan-could-cancel-flock-safety-contract-after-police-raise-concerns-mayor-resident-react
City of Cambridge, “Statement on the Flock Safety ALPR contract termination,” Dec. 10, 2025
https://www.cambridgema.gov/news/2025/12/statementontheflocksafetyalprcontracttermination
Lookout Eugene-Springfield, “Flock activated camera during ‘pause,’ chief says, pushing city to axe contract,” Dec. 9, 2025; timeline, Dec. 16, 2025
https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/latest-news/2025/12/09/flock-activated-camera-during-pause-chief-says-pushing-city-to-axe-contract/ https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/justice/2025/12/16/timeline-the-brief-troubled-history-of-flock-cameras-in-eugene-springfield/
The Daily Northwestern, “Flock contract termination talks persist after cameras reinstalled, city orders cease-and-desist,” Sept. 28, 2025
Forbes, “Flock CEO apologizes for calling activists ‘terrorists,’” July 17, 2026; Gizmodo, July 18, 2026
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2026/07/17/flock-ceo-sorry-for-labelling-activists-terrorists/ https://gizmodo.com/flocks-ceo-is-sorry-for-calling-privacy-activists-terrorists-2000787247
ACLU (Jay Stanley), “Beware of other license plate surveillance companies besides Flock,” Aug. 25, 2026
https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/other-alpr-vendors
EFF, “EFF's policy position on ALPR surveillance: eliminate it and reduce its harms,” Aug. 26, 2026
Forbes, “Axon vs. Flock: two policing tech giants just had a big falling out,” Feb. 7, 2025
Axon Fusus documentation, “ALPR Sharing” (generally available July 30, 2026)
https://www.axon.com/help/fusus/software/fusus/alpr/alpr-sharing.htm
Denverite, “Denver license plate readers: Axon contract,” Mar. 31, 2026; Axios Denver, Mar. 11, 2026
https://denverite.com/2026/03/31/denver-license-plate-readers-axon-contract-city-council/ https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/03/11/new-axon-contract-details
CNY Central, “Months after Syracuse ditched Flock, critics say switch to Axon solved nothing,” July 24, 2026
Boston Globe, “Boston police quietly using two license plate-reading camera companies,” Aug. 27, 2026
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/08/27/business/axon-motorola-boston-flock/
Vice, “I tracked someone with license plate readers,” Sept. 17, 2019
https://www.vice.com/en/article/i-tracked-someone-with-license-plate-readers-drn/
ACLU, “Documents reveal ICE using driver location data from local police for deportations,” Mar. 13, 2019
https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/documents-reveal-ice-using-driver-location-data
KUT, “Austin ended its license plate reader program. Then the police department found a loophole,” Feb. 12, 2026
https://www.kut.org/crime-justice/2026-02-12/austin-tx-apd-flock-cameras-license-plate-readers
Institute for Justice, database tracking cancellations of license plate reader contracts (201 local governments as of Sept. 10, 2026)
KWQC, “Henry County, IL Sheriff ending partnership with Flock,” Aug. 19, 2026
https://www.kwqc.com/2026/08/19/henry-county-il-sheriff-ending-partnership-with-flock/
KWQC, “Galva Police to discontinue Flock camera program,” Aug. 27, 2026
https://www.kwqc.com/2026/08/27/galva-police-discontinue-flock-camera-program/
City of Evanston, statement on Flock Safety cameras, Aug. 26, 2025
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ILEVANSTON/bulletins/3efa81d
Chicago Sun-Times, “Illinois cities halt Flock use, suspend officers,” Sept. 1, 2026
Iowa Public Radio / WVIK, “Indianola and other Iowa cities end Flock,” Aug. 27, 2026
https://www.wvik.org/news-from-iowa/2026-08-27/flock-cameras-privacy-concerns-indianola
City of Cambridge, Dec. 10, 2025; Redmond Moments, July 6, 2026; NPR, Feb. 17, 2026
https://www.cambridgema.gov/news/2025/12/statementontheflocksafetyalprcontracttermination https://www.redmondmoments.com/articles/redmond-city-council-cleared-to-end-contract-with-flock-safety https://www.npr.org/2026/02/17/nx-s1-5612825/flock-contracts-canceled-immigration-survillance-concerns
FOX 7 Austin, “Abbott pauses state funding as Texas cities ditch Flock,” Sept. 1, 2026; WUSF, “FDOT revokes permits for Flock cameras on state land,” Aug. 31, 2026
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/abbott-pauses-state-funding-texas-cities-ditch-flock-cameras https://www.wusf.org/transportation/2026-08-31/fdot-revokes-permits-for-flock-cameras-installed-on-state-land-next-to-roads
Rhode Island Current, “McKee orders review of Flock cameras,” Aug. 18, 2026
Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Virginia license plate reader law (HB 2724), May 12, 2025; ACLU of Washington, “Washington enacts first regulations on license plate readers” (SB 6002), May 27, 2026
https://valawyersweekly.com/2025/05/12/virginia-license-plate-reader-law-2024/ https://www.aclu-wa.org/news/washington-enacts-first-regulations-on-license-plate-readers/