Overview
- The ruling ordered suppression of evidence from a Tulsa officer’s warrantless query after the court found the search of Flock and another ALPR system amounted to an unconstitutional search.
- The query produced a monthlong travel log with more than 50 sightings after the deputy ran a California plate while following the vehicle for no clear investigative reason.
- Lawmakers have filed competing federal bills to curb ALPR use, including the Ban Flock Act to bar federal access and funding and the Stop Flock Abuse Act to impose strict retention and auditing rules.
- Cities and courts are split: some municipalities such as Moline are pausing Flock cameras, San Francisco is keeping its network with tighter rules, and a Santa Clara County judge recently dismissed a San José privacy suit.
- Investigations have documented officer misuse, cross‑jurisdictional searches, and device security problems, and Flock has changed defaults on retention and audit tools even as the company and prosecutors say appeals and more litigation are likely.