U.S. Sen. Katie Britt is asking the Department of Justice to review federal oversight of Flock camera systems and establish guardrails aimed at preventing law enforcement officers from abusing the technology.
Britt (R-Montgomery) and U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche asking the DOJ to provide state and local law enforcement agencies with guidance on preventing misuse of automatic license plate readers, or ALPRs.
“Flock cameras have proven to be a valuable tool for law enforcement in keeping our communities safe,” Britt said. “While I support the technology’s aim, I also believe commonsense safeguards can prevent misuse by a small number of bad actors.”
ALPR systems record license plates along with vehicle characteristics, locations and times, creating searchable databases that law enforcement can use to find stolen vehicles, locate missing people and investigate crimes.
But Britt and Warnock pointed to reported cases of officers using those systems for unauthorized purposes.
Their letter says at least 50 law enforcement officers across the country have been charged with or accused of abusing ALPR systems, including at least 30 cases involving officers allegedly stalking current, former or prospective romantic partners. In one case cited by the senators, a police chief allegedly searched vehicle tags belonging to a former partner and her daughter roughly 600 times over 13 months.
“We are deeply concerned about the misuse of ALPR systems and believe that appropriate safeguards are necessary to protect against unauthorized access and abuse, including by individuals who might misuse the technology to stalk and harass their victims,” Britt and Warnock wrote.
The senators said safeguards could include stronger access controls, auditing, supervisory review and consequences for intentional misuse. They argued officers who abuse access to ALPR systems should face discipline, including termination or criminal prosecution where warranted.
They also asked DOJ to disclose how much federal funding has supported ALPR purchases, what oversight accompanies those grants, what training is provided to recipients and whether federal agencies have audited their own systems for unauthorized searches. DOJ was asked to respond by Oct. 21.
The federal push comes as Alabama lawmakers are considering their own restrictions on license plate reader technology.
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) told Yellowhammer News last month that potential state guardrails could include warrant requirements for some searches, shorter data-retention periods and tougher penalties for improper access. Current Alabama regulations require access logs and restrict commercialization of the data, but allow information to be retained for up to five years.
National scrutiny has also increased. Florida recently barred local police from using license plate readers on state highways, while Texas paused state funding for the technology amid privacy and oversight concerns.
Sawyer Knowles is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].
