Sanders introduces bill to ban the federal government from using Flock
The proposed legislation would extend to all automotica license plate readers.
Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) has proposed a new bill called the Ban Flock Act, which aims to prevent federal agencies from utilizing automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) or accessing data gathered by these readers operated by local police departments and private firms. The bill does not specifically mention Flock by name but applies to all ALPR systems. The Act permits only exemptions for toll collection and future legislation-approved uses, requiring data retention to be limited to 48 hours or less.
Any state or local government not complying with the Act would face financial penalties, losing grants from five federal departments, including the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security, starting from the first fiscal year following enactment. The Act also allows for civil lawsuits against the federal government for violations, with enforcement by state attorneys general.
Flock, the leading ALPR vendor in the U.S., operates over 120,000 cameras and processes more than 20 billion vehicle reads monthly, according to the company. Due to growing public opposition and frequent contract cancellations, Flock has recently introduced stricter rules. In August, CEO Garrett Langley announced a new default data retention period of seven days, down from 30 days, and requires an audit tool to block officers' access during unusual searches pending review.
A notable case involved a former Milwaukee officer, who pleaded guilty to misconduct for conducting searches on Flock's platform almost 180 times, citing the investigation as the reason.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are co-sponsoring the Ban Flock Act. This legislation faces significant challenges but could significantly impact federal use of ALPR technology, potentially leading to the suspension of contracts and the loss of federal funds. The bill's potential impact extends beyond Flock, affecting other ALPR vendors and the broader use of surveillance technology by government agencies.
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