Part One: The Valiant War on Flock: How People Are Fighting Mass Surveillance

Margaret tells you the sordid history of Automated License Plate Readers and the people who have stood up against them

Sources:

https://www.kwch.com/2022/11/04/kechi-police-lieutenants-arrest-puts-flock-technology-under-scrutiny/
https://azmirror.com/2019/07/08/arizona-police-agencies-gather-share-license-plate-data-but-few-ensure-rules-are-being-followed/
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/aurora-police-detain-black-family-after-mistaking-their-vehicle-as-stolen
https://sls.eff.org/technologies/automated-license-plate-readers-alprs
https://www.winonapost.com/news/crime/all-of-wpd-s-flock-cameras-stolen/article_9c61aa25-411b-4f2f-a5cd-ca02942f5f9f.html
https://krocnews.com/stolen-flock-cameras-winona-mn/
https://www.winonapost.com/news/wpd-wont-replace-stolen-flock-cameras-citing-public-trust/article_06a67859-2d97-414b-aa8f-d8751ad214bb.html
https://www.military.com/air-force-engineer-accused-of-cutting-down-13-police-cameras-says-they-are-unconstitutional
https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/justice/2025/12/16/timeline-the-brief-troubled-history-of-flock-cameras-in-eugene-springfield/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2025/09/03/ai-startup-flock-thinks-it-can-eliminate-all-crime-in-america/
https://stateofsurveillance.org/news/flock-cameras-destroyed-nationwide-ice-backlash-2026/
https://ngscinc.com/history-license-plate-recognition
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/automatic-license-plate-readers-legal-status-and-policy-recommendations
https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/patrol-cars-poles-alpr/
https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/state-house-hopeful-arrested-in-flock-fiasco/article_2bb9aca2-5ede-4f42-9329-a8754aad7350.html
https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/posts/pfbid0YWZxSJqZSBJu2BDQiQQnWUqzNiYEoHxQEgF88NBRjRXfDwQxMtqfNyHoiry5m3Mel
https://www.wlky.com/article/attorney-lmpd-flock-camera-scandal/69895783
https://www.alxnow.com/2026/07/14/alexandria-man-arrested-for-allegedly-destroying-multiple-license-plate-readers/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/flock-camera-sawed-old-braeswood-22370015.php
https://nypost.com/2026/08/02/us-news/flock-safety-cameras-vandalized-on-long-island-after-accusations-cop-tracked-lover/
https://nypost.com/2026/07/29/us-news/flock-cameras-vandalized-in-monterey-county/
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2026/08/04/down-with-the-flock-florida-man-uses-simple-trick-to-combat-flock-cameras/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/crime/2026/08/03/police-flock-safety-surveillance-cameras-getting-pushback-florida/90915780007/
https://web.archive.org/web/20120819233022/http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/166494646.html
https://www.etymonline.com/word/scofflaw
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/anti-surveillance-mapmaker-refuses-flock-safetys-cease-and-desist-demand
https://www.404media.co/the-open-source-project-deflock-is-mapping-license-plate-surveillance-cameras-all-over-the-world/
https://www.eff.org/document/flock-safety-cd-deflockme
https://www.eff.org/document/eff-deflock-letter-flock-safety
https://www.kwch.com/2022/11/04/kechi-police-lieutenants-arrest-puts-flock-technology-under-scrutiny/
https://www.kwch.com/2022/10/31/kechi-police-lieutenant-arrested-using-police-technology-stalk-wife/
https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/former-kechi-police-lieutenant-sentenced-in-stalking-case/
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2015/05/11/paradise-valley-license-plate-camera-reader/27144369/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/gun-show-customers-license-plates-come-under-scrutiny-1475451302
https://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2013/va-alpr.pdf
https://www.thenewspaper.com/news/42/4232.asp
https://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2018/10/dea-plans-to-expand-license-plate-surveillance-program/
https://qz.com/1400791/that-road-sign-telling-you-how-fast-youre-driving-may-be-part-of-a-us-government-surveillance-network
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443995604578004723603576296
https://www.docsumo.com/blog/optical-character-recognition-history
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3330771.stm
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=18001802465783784125
https://bluewaterhealthyliving.com/news/national-news/texas/corpus-christi-police-use-basic-license-plate-readers-not-flock/
https://legislativeanalysis.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ALPRS-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdf

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