The Los Angeles Police Department’s Office of the Inspector General(OIG), held a zoom meeting on Thursday, July 31 to receive public comment on the future of Automated License Plate Readers(ALPRs) in Los Angeles.

This comes after the LAPD suspended its agreement with ALPR company, Flock Safety on July 11.

Many commenters opposed to ALPRs cited the OIG’s report about LAPD’s ALPR system and use in the field which was released July 10. The report found that between August 1 and September 30, 2025, the ALPRs used by LAPD generated 161 false alerts for stolen vehicles.

“Who is responsible for bad information if it leads to a bad stop?” asked one commenter.

“Flock is another tool that LAPD will use to not play fair,” said another commenter.

The LAPD also has contracts with two other ALPR vendors: Motorola Solutions and Axon Enterprise. The five-year contract with Motorola Solutions that expires on June 21, 2027, according to the OIGG report.

Supporters of ALPRs, many of whom said they were from Pacific Palisades, voiced concerns over theft as the neighborhood rebuilds after the 2025 wildfires.

“Flock cameras are vital to PacificPalisades, with the frequent theft of copper wiring from construction sites. We want to get these houses built, but without the Flock cameras, it’s going to take longer for everyone to come home,” said a commenter who said they were from the Pacific Palisades Community Council.

Los Angeles City Council member Traci Park joined in with voicing support for ALPRs, saying, “There are significant resource shortages that LAPD is facing, with staff levels dangerously low.”

Pacific Palisades is part of District 11, the district that Parks serves.

Others called out Council member Park for being on a call meant to give everyday Angelenos a chance to voice their concerns, saying, “ If Park wanted to help the Palisades, she could, without using funding from other city services to give to police.”

“It’s our privacy, our information, that’s ours. Why the hell is a council member over here anyway? Whose pocket is she in?” said another commenter.

One commenter who opposed LAPD’s use of ALPRs said while they “sympathize with those who feel unsafe, it is also unsafe to be tracked without a warrant. tracking license plates can follow us to seek medical treatment, and pinpoint us at a place of worship.”

The Stop LAPD Spying Coalition also had a presence on the call, with members voicing concerns about LAPD sharing data with federal agents to kidnap and deport people.

Though California law limits law enforcement from using resources to assist with federal immigration enforcement, The Los Angeles Times reported how federal agents use local police information sent to national databases to locate targets. Also, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has a guide to how federal agents use ALPR data from across the country to track down targets for immigration enforcement.

ALPR opponents on the call also mentioned a case where the use of Flock helped law enforcement track down a Texas woman who left the state to get an abortion, which was originally reported by 404 Media.

Other commenters cited they were fearful of surveillance technology falling into the wrong hands, citing an incident reported by The Miami Herald where a Florida police officer was charged with using AirTags to stalk his ex-partner.

“How many more cases will there be of pigs stalking exes?” said one commenter.

Some commenters explained how more surveillance means less rights.

“Look at the bigger picture. The Stasi kept files on normal citizens, creating the fear that they were always being watched. I want to remind folks concerned about copper wire theft that [Flock’s] use can expand beyond the original intent,” they said, citing the secret police and intelligence service of East Germany.

Another commenter said this to ALPR Supporters: “You haven’t done enough reading to learn about Flock and how it harms the community. I suggest you examine your values.”

“This warrantless data collection is a privacy violation. You don't have probable cause. Flock didn’t make an oath to serve and protect, you did,” said one commenter.

“More surveillance doesn’t mean more justice,” said another commenter.

Angelenos have until August 6, 2026 to provide written comments at communityrelationsoig@lacity.org.

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