At least 54 U.S. cities have canceled, declined to renew, or rejected contracts for Flock Safety's automatic license plate reader systems since the start of 2026, marking a sharp reversal in adoption of the surveillance technology.
The cancellations span 23 states. California and Wisconsin lead with seven rejections or deactivations each. New York, Washington, and Massachusetts have each recorded four terminations, while Virginia has recorded three.
The Los Angeles Police Department's decision not to renew its contract with Flock delivered the most high-profile blow. An internal audit found the company's cameras generated 161 false stolen-vehicle alerts in two months—a false-positive rate of 32.3 percent.
More than 20 jurisdictions moved to cancel Flock contracts in July alone. Two Phoenix suburbs terminated their agreements within recent weeks.
Public opposition has turned aggressive in some cities. Residents have damaged, obscured, or stolen cameras to prevent them from recording.
Local officials across party lines now oppose the technology. The bipartisan rejection suggests the backlash extends beyond traditional civil liberties advocates to mainstream elected officials worried about both privacy and false arrests.
Flock Safety retains a substantial foothold. The company's cameras operate in more than 5,000 U.S. cities as of July 2026. But the pace of cancellations signals momentum shifting against the system.
