I took a couple days off this week to go to San Diego Comic Con. Wednesday, opening day, is one of the busiest of the year downtown San Diego.
Heading down, four-lane I-5 was a standstill, with two lanes closed approaching downtown.
I assumed a bad accident - they wouldn't do construction on SDCC Wednesday, would they?
What was it?
Officers and weirdly-dressed men in back, slowly going down the road - INSTALLING FLOCK CAMERAS EVERY ~100 YARDS ALONG THE BARRIERS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH LANES!
That's a hell of a thing to see in real time. Freeway-side Flock installs aren't new in California; CHP has been putting ALPRs along Bay Area freeways since Newsom's 2024 public safety push...and the city of San Diego already has a multimillion-dollar Flock contract.
BUT... barrier-mounted cameras every 100 yards on I-5 is a different animal from an intersection camera...that's CONTINUOUS TRACKING of a corridor...NOT spot checks.
Additionally...doing it with lane closures on SDCC...opening day...Wednesday...tells you something about how ROUTINE they consider it.
Worth pinning down who owns them; CHP, Caltrans right-of-way for SDPD, or the county ...since THAT determines the retention and data-sharing rules under SB 34.
If you got photos...send them my way. There's real pushback building on this locally...and I'd like to dig in.
Our city in Wisconsin just recently dismantled them. Yay! It can be done if enough people are against them and local government listens to their constituents.
I just found out a month ago that our city police have been using drones supposedly for the sole purpose of catching folks setting off illegal fireworks (it's a big, big issue here in socal). I had noticed for the last year that yes, the firework activity had decreased dramatically and didn't know why but was pleased and didn't give it another thought till recently. The drones fly over my city from dusk to dawn and while it definitely has been working a light bulb suddenly went off in my head and I said to myself, 'JFC, that means they can follow any one of us' and that right there made me nervous. Not that I'm engaged in any nefarious or illegal activity but still, it was unsettling to me. And yes, we do have the FLOCK system in my city but for some reason the drone activity made me more uncomfortable, as they can fly right over your backyard, complete loss of privacy, not like the old days for sure.
They deny that the cams will be used for facial ID, but “experts” point out they’re still capturing and storing, just not using. Yet. I flip my visor down and have a few ideas, just in case. Here’s the best idea, but I lost my Ridgid.
One thing I'll add tonight, Jack, I've read that RING doorbell camera's will be a part of this elaborate system in the very near future. Police State comes to mind. Not Good News for any American citizen. Eye Opening article, Thank you, and will reStack ASAP 💯👍
There are Flock cameras installed in my area. When they went up? I don’t know. Someone cut one down in an outlying area not long ago. There are those applauding him/her as a hero. Sounds like it’s time for me to do some research and get up to speed. I don’t like them at all since I’m really weird about privacy….
The thought rattling around in my head is this sounds kinda unconstitutional? Could this be considered an unreasonable search?
Not to scare anyone…… apparently Peter Thiel is an investor in this thing and he’s really into techno feudalism.
Given the ubiquity of camera surveillance along with the satellite capabilities, there is no such thing as going off the grid anymore. How were we convinced that each little step was a good thing without having a watchdog say hold up here….? Am feeling like I’ve been very asleep at the wheel….. and it’s not a good feeling!
Thanks, Jack. I appreciate you bringing this up and to everyone’s attention.
Jack, this is such an alarming piece in such an alarming year. If ever there was a class action lawsuit, or lawsuits depend, depending on whether you’ve got to do it locally, or if it can ever become something that can be federally, this is it. It involves everyone who drives a car and we know that that is a shit ton of folks. Thank you for getting this to the surface, at least for us subscribers. Let’s see if we can get some high profile, pro bono suits filed.
WHOA!! I don’t live in the municipality nearest that may have them, but my sister does and innumerable cousins. I may write the letter and “share” with some folks.
Yes, these Flock cameras are creepy! I had no idea what they actually did. It’s scary that anyone (with access) can track anyone, and there are really no safeguards. Thanks for explaining something I haven’t really payed attention too.
I am linking to this article from 404media.co that details how Flock not only searches license plates, but also acts as a search engine for people, such as, say, brown-haired man with tattoos and a backpack. The article is chilling.
Jack, what you're describing is the tip of the iceberg and the genie is already out of the bottle (sorry about the mixed metaphors).
According to ChatGPT, Flock cameras were used to track a Texas woman who got an abortion out of state (Illinois). Abortion is illegal in Texas.
Per ChatGPT:
"Allegedly, yes: reporting says Flock Safety’s license-plate cameras (ALPR systems) were used as part of searches tied to a Texas abortion case.
In May 2025, authorities in Texas were reported to have used Flock’s nationwide camera network to locate a woman who they said self-administered an abortion, with the stated reason in records described as “had an abortion, search for female.”
Illinois officials later investigated a related incident involving license-plate reader data shared with Texas police seeking a woman in connection with abortion.
6abc Action News
Additional coverage and court-related reporting discussed how the search was characterized and that police considered it as part of a broader “death investigation.”
One of the sources for this story, 404media.co, has a list of articles describing how Flock is being misused by authorities. For eg, CBP is accessing the cameras to catch non-citizens. The articles unfortunately are behind a paywall.
I recall back in the '70's the Brits got heavily into ALPR readers think preceded by global CCTV for traffic control. Now that has extended to surveillance of pedestrians supposedly for crime prevention. Ring is joining their/our cameras to a wider surveillance network. Don't know to stuff this back in the bag.
I took a couple days off this week to go to San Diego Comic Con. Wednesday, opening day, is one of the busiest of the year downtown San Diego.
Heading down, four-lane I-5 was a standstill, with two lanes closed approaching downtown.
I assumed a bad accident - they wouldn't do construction on SDCC Wednesday, would they?
What was it?
Officers and weirdly-dressed men in back, slowly going down the road - INSTALLING FLOCK CAMERAS EVERY ~100 YARDS ALONG THE BARRIERS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH LANES!
INSANE. DANGEROUS. OUTRAGEOUS.
Dr. David...thanks for the on-the-ground report!
That's a hell of a thing to see in real time. Freeway-side Flock installs aren't new in California; CHP has been putting ALPRs along Bay Area freeways since Newsom's 2024 public safety push...and the city of San Diego already has a multimillion-dollar Flock contract.
BUT... barrier-mounted cameras every 100 yards on I-5 is a different animal from an intersection camera...that's CONTINUOUS TRACKING of a corridor...NOT spot checks.
Additionally...doing it with lane closures on SDCC...opening day...Wednesday...tells you something about how ROUTINE they consider it.
Worth pinning down who owns them; CHP, Caltrans right-of-way for SDPD, or the county ...since THAT determines the retention and data-sharing rules under SB 34.
If you got photos...send them my way. There's real pushback building on this locally...and I'd like to dig in.
Thanks for this tip.
-Jack
Multiple legal challenges filed in California..
target Flock safety...
claiming that their surveillance network..
VIOLATES State Privacy Laws...
by sharing driver movements outside California.
Our city in Wisconsin just recently dismantled them. Yay! It can be done if enough people are against them and local government listens to their constituents.
I just found out a month ago that our city police have been using drones supposedly for the sole purpose of catching folks setting off illegal fireworks (it's a big, big issue here in socal). I had noticed for the last year that yes, the firework activity had decreased dramatically and didn't know why but was pleased and didn't give it another thought till recently. The drones fly over my city from dusk to dawn and while it definitely has been working a light bulb suddenly went off in my head and I said to myself, 'JFC, that means they can follow any one of us' and that right there made me nervous. Not that I'm engaged in any nefarious or illegal activity but still, it was unsettling to me. And yes, we do have the FLOCK system in my city but for some reason the drone activity made me more uncomfortable, as they can fly right over your backyard, complete loss of privacy, not like the old days for sure.
They deny that the cams will be used for facial ID, but “experts” point out they’re still capturing and storing, just not using. Yet. I flip my visor down and have a few ideas, just in case. Here’s the best idea, but I lost my Ridgid.
https://youtu.be/UBeHbMzyG7A?is=G9qcD8lW_gm_ElUw
Several cities and towns in my corner of Arizona are debating about their Flock systems or actively withdrawing from their Flock contracts.
One thing I'll add tonight, Jack, I've read that RING doorbell camera's will be a part of this elaborate system in the very near future. Police State comes to mind. Not Good News for any American citizen. Eye Opening article, Thank you, and will reStack ASAP 💯👍
There are Flock cameras installed in my area. When they went up? I don’t know. Someone cut one down in an outlying area not long ago. There are those applauding him/her as a hero. Sounds like it’s time for me to do some research and get up to speed. I don’t like them at all since I’m really weird about privacy….
The thought rattling around in my head is this sounds kinda unconstitutional? Could this be considered an unreasonable search?
Not to scare anyone…… apparently Peter Thiel is an investor in this thing and he’s really into techno feudalism.
Given the ubiquity of camera surveillance along with the satellite capabilities, there is no such thing as going off the grid anymore. How were we convinced that each little step was a good thing without having a watchdog say hold up here….? Am feeling like I’ve been very asleep at the wheel….. and it’s not a good feeling!
Thanks, Jack. I appreciate you bringing this up and to everyone’s attention.
Jack, this is such an alarming piece in such an alarming year. If ever there was a class action lawsuit, or lawsuits depend, depending on whether you’ve got to do it locally, or if it can ever become something that can be federally, this is it. It involves everyone who drives a car and we know that that is a shit ton of folks. Thank you for getting this to the surface, at least for us subscribers. Let’s see if we can get some high profile, pro bono suits filed.
WHOA!! I don’t live in the municipality nearest that may have them, but my sister does and innumerable cousins. I may write the letter and “share” with some folks.
Thanks, Dr. David.
Zowie. This is a disaster in the making.
Yes, these Flock cameras are creepy! I had no idea what they actually did. It’s scary that anyone (with access) can track anyone, and there are really no safeguards. Thanks for explaining something I haven’t really payed attention too.
Creepy is the word.
I am a resident of Philadelphia. I just dashed off a letter to my councilman and two Councilmen at-large.
I am linking to this article from 404media.co that details how Flock not only searches license plates, but also acts as a search engine for people, such as, say, brown-haired man with tattoos and a backpack. The article is chilling.
https://www.404media.co/how-cops-use-flock-to-track-people-not-cars/
Jack, what you're describing is the tip of the iceberg and the genie is already out of the bottle (sorry about the mixed metaphors).
According to ChatGPT, Flock cameras were used to track a Texas woman who got an abortion out of state (Illinois). Abortion is illegal in Texas.
Per ChatGPT:
"Allegedly, yes: reporting says Flock Safety’s license-plate cameras (ALPR systems) were used as part of searches tied to a Texas abortion case.
In May 2025, authorities in Texas were reported to have used Flock’s nationwide camera network to locate a woman who they said self-administered an abortion, with the stated reason in records described as “had an abortion, search for female.”
404media.co
Illinois officials later investigated a related incident involving license-plate reader data shared with Texas police seeking a woman in connection with abortion.
6abc Action News
Additional coverage and court-related reporting discussed how the search was characterized and that police considered it as part of a broader “death investigation.”
One of the sources for this story, 404media.co, has a list of articles describing how Flock is being misused by authorities. For eg, CBP is accessing the cameras to catch non-citizens. The articles unfortunately are behind a paywall.
I recall back in the '70's the Brits got heavily into ALPR readers think preceded by global CCTV for traffic control. Now that has extended to surveillance of pedestrians supposedly for crime prevention. Ring is joining their/our cameras to a wider surveillance network. Don't know to stuff this back in the bag.