{
  "id": 4395147,
  "title": "Instead of Using Opioid Settlement Money to Help Poor Communities, Police Are Buying Flock Cameras to Play With",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/instead-of-using-opioid-settlement-money-to-help-poor-communities",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-30T10:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Futurism",
    "slug": "futurism",
    "url": "https://futurism.com/health-medicine/opioid-settlement-money-poor-communities-police-flock-cameras"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A shocking investigation by Mother Jones reveals that tainted opioid settlement funds intended for impoverished communities are being funneled towards purchasing Flock surveillance cameras by police departments across the United States. Over 100,000 automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) have been installed in recent years, with these cameras funded primarily through the opioid crisis settlement money. Mother Jones uncovered 19 agencies in ten states that have spent nearly $1 million of these funds on ALPRs from companies like Flock and Axon, though the report suggests this number is likely an underestimate. The funding process is as follows: after major pharmaceutical companies agreed to pay out $50 billion for their role in the opioid crisis, state agencies responsible for allocating those funds directed police departments to make efficient use of the money. Police agencies, which already consume a significant portion of municipal expenditures, made a compelling case to the state agencies: give us that opioid money, and we'll use it to buy new police tools and curb drug dealers. ALPR systems, police departments have made clear, are more suited to stalking and harassing innocent civilians than fighting crime. Moreover, when it comes to combating the opioid crisis, few police toys are less effective than ALPRs. Robyn Oster, director of policy at the Partnership to End Addiction, told Mother Jones that while $50 billion may seem like a substantial sum, its distribution over 18 years and thousands of localities means that many places receive relatively little, particularly given the scale of the crisis. \"Whatever funds you're spending on a camera, you're not spending on getting someone into treatment,\" Oster explained. The money is being wasted on AI surveillance cameras that enable police to catch people legally purchasing weed or collecting petty cash, rather than funding state-run rehab clinics or harm reduction programs. Oster emphasized that this is not the most impactful way to address addiction. Flock's network, in particular, is suffering as more of its cameras go offline.",
  "summary": "\"Whatever funds you’re spending on a camera, you're not spending on getting someone into treatment.\" The post Instead of Using Opioid Settlement Money to Help Poor Communities, Police Are Buying Flock Cameras to Play With appeared first on Futurism .",
  "key_points": [
    "$50 billion opioid settlement funds intended for poor communities are misused.",
    "Police departments purchase Flock surveillance cameras with the funds.",
    "ALPR systems are ineffective in combating opioid crisis and funding addiction treatment."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}