Regulate ALPR Surveillance Technology Before More Innocent People Are Harmed

Flock Safety's automated license plate readers are putting innocent people in life-threatening situations, and it's time to pass meaningful regulation on this technology. Last month in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Brookfield police pulled over two innocent people on I-94 at gunpoint because a Flock camera flagged the wrong person in the wrong car — a complete system failure that left occupants staring down police firearms. This cannot keep happening. The problems are systemic. Flock's OCR software routinely misreads license plates, and police departments frequently fail to update their hotlists when suspects are cleared or stolen vehicles are recovered. This isn't a one-off glitch — a prior investigation found Flock cameras misread 71% of flagged plates. In 2020, Aurora, Colorado police held a Black family, including small children, face-down at gunpoint after an ALPR misidentified their SUV as a stolen motorcycle from another state. Dane County has already pulled funding from its Flock contract, citing violations of public trust. Other jurisdictions should follow, and the state should set enforceable standards for accuracy, hotlist maintenance, and accountability before another innocent person pays the price for a camera's mistake.