Flock Safety Pauses Federal Operations Over License Plate Data Concerns
Springfield, Ill. — Flock Safety, a leader in automated license plate reading technology, has decided to pause its collaboration with federal agencies due to growing confusion and concerns about how the data is being used, particularly in Illinois.
The company’s founder and CEO, Garrett Langley, announced that they halted pilot programs with the Department of Homeland Security, specifically Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations. This decision comes after Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias raised alarms over data access by federal officials.
Giannoulias confirmed that Customs and Border Protection had accessed license plate data from Illinois without confirming whether they were focused on immigration-related cases. This situation has raised significant red flags, especially since a law pushed by Giannoulias prohibits sharing such data for investigations involving out-of-state abortions or undocumented immigrants.
“This sharing of license plate data from Illinois motorists is a clear violation of state law,” Giannoulias declared. “This law was designed to protect citizens and ensure data is shared responsibly.”
Flock Safety has an extensive network of cameras that capture billions of license plate images every month. However, the data belongs to local agencies, which respond to inquiries from other law enforcement bodies.
Langley emphasized that the pilot programs intended to aid in the fight against human trafficking and the distribution of fentanyl. While the company hasn’t confirmed any immigration-related searches, they acknowledged that communication about the program’s scope was unclear.
“We miscommunicated our intentions and did not set up distinct permissions for federal users within our system,” Langley admitted.
This announcement follows a previous incident where police in Mount Prospect, a Chicago suburb, shared local data with a Texas sheriff searching for a missing woman. The case raised concerns because the woman had recently undergone a self-administered abortion, prompting Giannoulias to demand better oversight from Flock Safety.
To address these issues, Flock Safety has updated its system to clearly identify federal inquiries. Going forward, federal agencies will no longer be permitted to conduct broad searches but must focus on specific requests with local police departments.
In light of these changes, Giannoulias’ office confirmed that an investigation regarding the data access is ongoing, and steps are being taken to ensure stricter compliance is maintained.
Flock Safety has also been proactive in restricting searches related to sensitive topics like “abortion,” “immigration,” or “ICE,” implementing these changes since late June.
As the conversation continues, it’s clear that the intersection of technology, privacy, and law enforcement needs careful navigation to protect citizens’ rights while ensuring public safety.
