Hi neighbors,
Yesterday, 404 Media revealed a stunning breach of trust: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had direct access to more than 80,000 Flock license plate cameras nationwide.
Even systems here in Washington—including in Prosser and Chehalis—were part of this federal dragnet. Local police departments, who installed these cameras for neighborhood safety, now admit they had no idea their data was being funneled to CBP. This confirms what many of us have said from the start: once data enters Flock’s network, local control disappears.
What the reporting reveals about this massive surveillance failure:
A Secret Pipeline: CBP ran at least 118 searches in a single month, each query pulling data from over 82,000 devices. This wasn't a "one-off" request; it was a routine, widespread operation.
Deception and Disregard: The Boulder, CO police department told reporters they were completely unaware CBP was using their system until a public records request exposed the truth.
Flock's Admission: Only after being caught did Flock admit to engaging in "pilot programs" with CBP and Homeland Security Investigations. They are now, conveniently, claiming they have "paused" them, but the damage is done.
The Pattern of Betrayal
It seems that every few weeks, a new report exposes another way Flock’s surveillance network is more extensive than we were told. Each time, Flock’s response follows a predictable and unsettling pattern:
Initial Claims: Flock promises that its cameras are for local crime-solving and that police departments control who can access the data.
The Bombshell Report: A journalist or privacy advocate uncovers a new, hidden use of the network, such as federal access or a search for a woman who sought an abortion out of state.
The Deflection: Flock releases a statement with carefully chosen words, claiming they "communicated poorly" or didn't have the right "permissions and protocols" in place. They never take full responsibility, instead framing the problem as a technical oversight.
Blaming the User: Flock often shifts blame to police departments, suggesting they should have better understood the complex settings or known what was happening in the background.
This cycle of revelation and deflection has clearly shown this company cannot be trusted. The "fixes" Flock has offered, such as "pausing" pilot programs, are reactionary measures implemented only after their secrets are exposed.
Why this matters now in Mountlake Terrace
When our City Council approved the Flock contract, we were assured that the system could be tightly controlled through settings and sharing agreements. But this new investigation proves once again that those promises were built on a house of cards. Flock itself created new pathways for federal access, bypassing local authority and consent. Flock will tell you differently, but the fact that many local police departments didn’t even know CBP was accessing their cameras is all the proof you need.
Oversight, audits, and MOUs might sound reassuring, but none of them fix the root problem: the system itself is unsafe, and Flock Safety is not trustworthy.
We’re still pushing for strong oversight. Bringing back the Community Policing Advisory Board will have many benefits well into the future in addition to Flock oversight.
But I’ll continue to say this plainly: the only responsible step is to reconsider and cancel the contract. Just like Scarsdale, NY did. And Oak Park, IL. And Gutherie, OK, Austin, TX, Evanston, IL, and Denver, CO. There is a growing list of former Flock customers who have now recognized that this company cannot be trusted.
Each day our council and city staff continue forward, they’re making a choice to ignore the mounting risks. Reconsidering a vote is not a failure; it’s leadership. The facts have changed. The news about Flock grows worse by the week, and council now knows that even their own attorney’s concerns were withheld at the time of the vote.
Neighbors, you’ve spoken up consistently. Keep at it. The evidence is clear the stakes are real.
Dustin