Lawsuit Filed Against LAPD Over Flock Safety License Plate Cameras
Lawsuit Filed Against LAPD Over Surveillance Partnership with Flock Safety
Los Angeles — Activists are taking legal action against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), challenging its collaboration with Flock Safety, a surveillance company, over claims of secretive operations and insufficient transparency.
The Stop LAPD Spying Coalition has initiated a lawsuit aimed at compelling the LAPD to disclose records related to its partnership with Flock Safety. Their concerns center around allegations of extensive, covert tracking of Los Angeles drivers utilizing a network of artificial intelligence-powered cameras. The coalition argues that this technology facilitates the criminalization of various groups, including immigrants and individuals involved in protests.
The coalition’s lawsuit reveals that the LAPD has produced only one expired memorandum dating back to 2025, despite its partnership with Flock reportedly spanning more than seven years. This lack of transparency has raised alarms about potential data-sharing practices and oversight related to the cameras, which not only capture license plates but also record vehicle make, model, and color, thus creating detailed maps of driver movements.
The coalition asserts that the LAPD is intentionally withholding documentation to circumvent public scrutiny prior to the expiration of a critical Memorandum of Understanding in July. “In an attempt to prevent community scrutiny, LAPD is suppressing documents that would reveal the exact terms of LAPD’s access and oversight of Flock’s growing surveillance network," the coalition stated.
In response to the lawsuit, the LAPD refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation, maintaining that it does not discuss cases currently in the courts.
While the exact number of Flock cameras accessible to the LAPD remains undetermined, concerns have been raised regarding the quantity of data shared with federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The utilization of Flock cameras varies throughout the region. Recently, South Pasadena opted not to renew its contract with the surveillance firm, leading to the removal of 14 cameras after implications surfaced that data collected could be accessed by ICE and other external agencies.
As the legal battle unfolds, community members remain concerned about the implications of surveillance technology on privacy and civil liberties in Los Angeles.
