Mountain View became the latest city in the Bay Area to oust license plate reader camera manufacturer Flock Safety after its City Council voted Tuesday to terminate a contract with the company.
Police departments use automated license plate reader cameras to investigate crimes like stolen vehicles. But privacy watchdogs have raised concerns about federal agencies being able to access the camera data — a violation of state law — and using it for targeted surveillance.
The 30 ALPR cameras in Mountain View have been disabled since Feb. 2, after a Mountain View Police Department audit revealed that federal agencies could search the camera data, despite the firm’s assurances otherwise.
A news release dated Jan. 30 from the Mountain View Police Department stated, “From August to November 2024, several federal law enforcement agencies accessed Mountain View’s Flock Safety ALPR system for one camera via a ‘nationwide’ search setting that was turned on by Flock Safety. This setting was enabled without MVPD’s permission or knowledge.”
At its Feb. 24 meeting, the Mountain View City Council voted unanimously to end its contract with Flock, joining Santa Cruz and Los Altos Hills, where city councils voted to terminate their contracts in January.
Also on Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 in favor of adopting a new surveillance use policy that prohibits the county Sheriff’s Office from contracting with Flock Safety as a vendor for ALPR cameras.
Mountain View Mayor Emily Ann Ramos announced the change to its policies in a news release issued by the city Wednesday.
“We are ending Mountain View’s use of Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras,” Ramos said. “Public safety must be grounded in community trust, and after hearing significant feedback from residents, the Council determined that this program does not best reflect our community’s priorities.