Schneier on Security

Police Are Hiding Their Use of Flock Surveillance Cameras

Refract AI Intelligence Digest

BLUF

Law enforcement agencies are actively concealing the use of automated surveillance technology from the public and judicial records.

NEWS

A usage policy for Flock license plate reader cameras in Wapello County, Iowa explicitly instructs officers not to mention ALPR usage to vehicle occupants or include it in reports unless absolutely necessary. This directive echoes historical secrecy surrounding IMSI-catchers and Stingray devices used by police decades ago.

Why I Care

This undermines transparency and due process rights, as citizens cannot challenge evidence if they are unaware of the surveillance methods used against them. It normalizes hidden mass surveillance tools without public oversight or consent.

Next Steps

Civil liberties groups should demand disclosure of ALPR usage policies in their jurisdictions by filing public records requests immediately. Legislators must mandate transparency laws requiring notification when ALPR data contributes to an arrest or investigation within the next legislative session.

A usage policy for Flock license plate reader cameras tells police not to talk about the cameras: When cops use Flock to arrest someone in Wapello County, Iowa, they don’t want them to know. A usage policy for the automated license plate reader cameras in the county tells police, in no uncertain terms, to keep them a secret: “DO NOT MENTION ALPR USAGE TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE,” the policy document reads. “DO NOT MENTION ALPR USAGE IN YOUR REPORT OR COMPLAINT UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.” This reminds me of IMSI-catchers (Stingray was the most popular) a couple of decades ago. Police would go to even more extremes to hide their usage...
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Source: Schneier on Security ·

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