Resources
Read the records, examine the arguments and check the sources yourself. We link to primary records wherever possible and clearly distinguish verified local facts from broader research about surveillance technology.
Common Arguments — and What the Facts Show
“If you have nothing to hide, why should you care?” “License plates are already public.” “But Flock catches criminals.”
We've collected ten of the most common arguments made in favor of ALPR surveillance and answered them with sourced facts and direct questions worth asking.
Alameda County primary sources
Alameda County Flock contract record
The Sheriff's 2026 Board submission concerning the Flock contract, program outcomes and National Lookup Tool.
Sheriff's Board submission →21 April 2026 Board vote
Official Summary Action Minutes recording the Board's 3–2 vote on the Sheriff's Flock contract amendment and 55 speakers on the item.
Board minutes — Item 55 →Alameda County Board of Supervisors
Official County information about the Board, its members and districts.
Board of Supervisors →Alameda County public records
Use the County's official public-records resources to request government records and supporting documentation.
Alameda County public information →California law
California ALPR definitions
California Civil Code defines ALPR systems and ALPR information.
Civil Code § 1798.90.5 →California ALPR sharing restrictions
California Civil Code establishes restrictions governing the sale, sharing and transfer of ALPR information by public agencies.
Civil Code § 1798.90.55 →Local DeFlock campaigns
DeFlock Livermore
Local information and advocacy concerning ALPR surveillance in Livermore.
Visit DeFlock Livermore →DeFlock Pleasanton
Local information and advocacy concerning ALPR surveillance in Pleasanton.
Visit DeFlock Pleasanton →Want to dig into the Alameda County evidence?
Our Evidence page separates what County records actually establish from questions that remain unanswered.
Independent research & primary sources
DeFlock.org
Independent resources concerning automated license plate reader surveillance.
Visit DeFlock.org →ACLU — Get the Flock Out
Advocacy and research concerning Flock and other ALPR systems.
ACLU campaign →ACLU — ALPR background
Background on location tracking and license plate reader databases.
ACLU ALPR overview →Electronic Frontier Foundation
Research and advocacy concerning privacy, surveillance and civil liberties in technology.
Visit EFF →California DOJ — ALPR guidance
California Department of Justice guidance concerning automated license plate reader information and California law.
California DOJ guidance →Flock Safety
For claims about Flock's own products and policies, we also link directly to the company's published material so readers can evaluate it themselves.
Flock Safety →Research SignalTrace
SignalTrace is discussed as an example of commercially available signal-intelligence technology. A reference to the technology does not mean we have verified its deployment in a particular community.
LEONARDO SIGNALTRACE →@LoyalMoses
@LoyalMoses is the YouTube channel handle we link to. We do not infer or publish a legal name, occupation, residence, police affiliation or other biography from that handle.
The channel discusses ALPR and other surveillance topics. Visit the actual channel to evaluate its material directly.
VISIT @LOYALMOSES ON YOUTUBE →DeFlock Means All ALPRs
Flock Safety is a company. Flock is not the only manufacturer of automated license plate readers.
Flock has become one of the most recognizable names associated with roadside ALPR systems, so people sometimes use “Flock” conversationally as shorthand for the broader technology — much as familiar brand names such as Kleenex or Xerox are sometimes used conversationally for an entire category of products.
That is how we use the term DeFlock. Our concern is not limited to one company or one logo on a camera. Replacing a Flock Safety camera with another manufacturer's ALPR does not address our underlying concerns about indiscriminate collection, retention, sharing and searching of vehicle-location information.
“Flock” remains a brand and trademark associated with Flock Safety. The comparison above describes conversational shorthand; it is not a claim that the Flock name has legally become a generic trademark.
Know the ALPR Vendors
ALPR technology comes from many manufacturers. Products vary widely: some are designed specifically for law enforcement and investigations; others are marketed for parking, tolling, traffic management, access control, security, or combinations of those uses.
The table below links to manufacturers' own material wherever practical so you can see how the companies describe their products themselves. Inclusion here does not mean we have verified that a particular product is deployed in your community.
| Manufacturer | ALPR products / families | Typical applications | Manufacturer information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flock Safety | LPR Pro, Standard LPR, Wide-Range LPR, Long-Range LPR, Flex LPR, LPR Trailers; earlier Falcon/Sparrow branding | Law enforcement, investigations, community and commercial security | Flock Safety LPR products → |
| Genetec | AutoVu, SharpV and related AutoVu/Cloudrunner products | Law enforcement, parking, security, traffic and vehicle investigations | Genetec AutoVu → |
| Motorola Solutions / Vigilant | L5F Fixed LPR, L5M Mobile LPR, L6Q Quick-Deploy LPR, Vigilant PlateSearch and VehicleManager | Law enforcement, investigations, parking and vehicle intelligence | Motorola Solutions LPR → |
| Leonardo / ELSAG | Mobile Plate Hunter, Fixed Plate Hunter, Street Sentry, Video Plate Hunter, pole/covert LPR systems | Law enforcement, investigations, traffic, security and parking | Leonardo ELSAG products → |
| Rekor | Edge-series ALPR systems and Rekor Scout | Public safety, roadway intelligence, investigations and traffic | Rekor → |
| PlateSmart | ARES 3.0, Mobile Defender, Vision and ARES Analytics | Law enforcement, security, investigations and analytics | PlateSmart products → |
| Axis Communications | AXIS License Plate Verifier and purpose-built LPR camera kits, including P1485, P1486, P3285 and Q1800 families | Law enforcement, traffic, parking, access control and security | AXIS License Plate Verifier → |
| Jenoptik | VECTOR³ ALPR cameras | Traffic monitoring, enforcement and roadway applications | Jenoptik ALPR → |
| Neology | P720, P497, neoForce and related ALPR / ANPR systems | Traffic enforcement, roadway monitoring, tolling and vehicle identification | Neology → |
| Tattile | Smart+, Tolling+, Vega 11, Vega 53, Basic MK2, Mobile+ and related ANPR cameras | Traffic monitoring, tolling, enforcement, access control and vehicle identification | Tattile ANPR products → |
| Hanwha Vision | Road AI LPR/ANPR cameras including PNV-A9081RLP and TNO-7180RLP | Traffic monitoring, security, vehicle identification and license-plate capture | Hanwha Vision → |
This is a verified, non-exhaustive list. The ALPR/ANPR market changes and additional manufacturers and products exist. Know one we should include? Send us the manufacturer or product and, once verified against credible sources, we'll add it.
A Citizen's Guide to Local ALPR Accountability
Want to build a DeFlock site or investigate automated license plate readers in your own community?
The public Playbook explains our point of view, evidence standards, source hierarchy, contact-verification rules, corrections policy, spending methodology, peaceful and lawful advocacy standards, and the distinction between technology that exists and technology actually verified in a particular jurisdiction.