The City of Akron employs 145 Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras from surveillance vendor Flock Safety. The recurring annual subscription cost for these cameras are $362,000. Flock's system makes it possible to trace the movements of anybody as if their car had a tracking device attached, without a warrant. Even without a license plate number, "vehicle fingerprinting" allows police to search for cars based on identifying features like dents or bumper stickers. This system has a high potential for abuse, privacy violations, corporate misconduct, and oversight circumvention. Flock’s data practices are opaque and deceptive, and the cameras themselves are so un-secure that they can be hacked by a passer-by in a matter of seconds.

Furthermore, the Flock Safety company has poor corporate ethics. They have come under great scrutiny with there business practices. There have been instances where Flock has allowed out-of-state law enforcement agencies and federal agents to access local data without the knowledge of local municipalities. In December of 2025, independent security researchers detailed several software vulnerabilities that allowed outsiders to access unprotected administrative panels. This exposure allowed the researchers to view live camera feeds, track GPS locations of police vehicles, and manipulate system settings. This is a major security concern and another reason to drop our contract with Flack Safety.

Also, Flock cameras have been used to aid I.C.E. - an agency that has been shown to primarily arrest and detain people who aren't violent criminals. Data from Shaker Heights’ Police Department has shown that data from their Flock camera system was accessed more than 700,000 time in less than 6 months. Some of these search reasons were listed as immigration and I.C.E. The majority of these searches were from outside law enforcement agencies across the state and country. Also, police in Texas have used the Flock network to track down a woman who had had left the state to obtain an abortion.

What’s more, in February of 2026, Akron City Council voted unanimously 12-0 on a resolution opposing four proposed Ohio State bills (HB 26, HB 42, SB 172) that would force local municipalities to assist with I.C.E. operations. Flock’s access policies have shown to be a “side door” option for I.C.E. to search urban areas without a warrant or consent. Having Flock camera surveillance in Akron goes against this resolution.
Moreover, the use of AI-cameras tracking people’s movements is a violation of our 4th Amendment right. Individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their long-term movements, even in public, according to the Carpenter v. United States (2018) Supreme Court decision. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio is actively campaigning against the use of Flock Safety ALPRs. They are citing that these cameras pose a severe threat to civil liberties, mass surveillance, and data misuse.

Furthermore, Flock cameras make mistakes, and when they do, the city is held accountable for any liability or lawsuits. Take for instance, the Toledo man in 2024 that was wrongfully detained at gunpoint and attacked by a police K-9 after a Flock Safety camera missed a “7” as a “2” on his license plate. Charges we dismissed later and he received a $35,000 settlement that was paid out by the city.

Additionally, proponents of these surveillance cameras may argue that they help with Amber or Silver alerts, when in fact these alerts have been historically effective at a rate of about 97% prior to implementation of said cameras. Another argument would be that having more surveillance cameras will reduce crime. But what actually reduces crime is addressing economic instability, access to healthcare, steady employment, access to safe housing, building green spaces, community violence interventions, and youth social investments.

These cameras will not prevent crimes from happening. ALPRs are not effective at either solving crime or improving public safety; ALPR data is highly insecure, prone to abuse, and accessed regularly by ICE.

It's time to make our voices clear: Akron is not a surveillance state. We're not a city that sacrifices our privacy and that of our neighbors out of fear. We don't need Flock Safety here.
We demand that Akron City Council immediately end its contract with Flock Safety and remove all Flock-owned recording devices used by the city.