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Residents demand council debate on Flock license-plate readers as police defend system
Summary
Residents packed public comment May 20 pressing Ridgecrest City Council to put the city’s contract with Flock on a future agenda, citing privacy and federal access concerns; the police chief said the local system records still photos only, undergoes monthly audits and has helped in at least one investigation.
Dozens of Ridgecrest residents urged the City Council on May 20 to formally review and either cancel or place limits on the city’s contract with Flock, a company that sells automated license-plate reader systems, saying the technology risks turning local cameras into a conduit for broader federal surveillance.
"Why would they hold back now?" asked Michael LeCitra during the public-comment period, arguing recent federal procurement activity shows the FBI is seeking near–real-time access to commercial license-plate databases and that the council should discontinue the city’s Flock deployment. "It is becoming increasingly urgent to stop Flock now and end their ability to victimize the people of Ridgecrest," LeCitra said.
Jamie Jones and Daniel Neal echoed those concerns, urging the council to schedule a public agenda item and warning of potential legal and financial exposure if the city’s use of the system results in litigation. "When you vote to keep these contracts, you aren't just buying a local public safety tool — you are using Ridgecrest tax dollars to crowdsource the hardware for a centralized federal dragnet," Jones said.
Several speakers tied the surveillance debate to local trust in the police. Brenda, who identified herself as a Ridgecrest resident, said prior personnel and settlement matters erode confidence that the department will properly police use of the system.
The city’s police chief, speaking later in the meeting in his capacity as deputy city manager, defended the department’s Flock deployment. He said Ridgecrest operates 24 Flock cameras that capture still photographs of vehicle license plates rather than continuous video and that local access is limited to law-enforcement queries. "Our Flock system is not a video system," the chief said, adding the photo database "rarely contains an image of a person." He said the department performs a monthly audit to ensure proper use and that misuse would result in discipline or termination.
The chief gave a law-enforcement example in which Flock imagery helped locate a suspect in a parental abduction and credited the system with shortening the time to recovery. He also acknowledged the possibility of misuse and told residents he would meet privately with anyone who wants to review local policy or audit records.
Councilmembers traded views in their closing comments: some reiterated conditional support for the system so long as policies and audits are robust; others said they heard enough community concern to warrant further public review. The mayor announced the AI data-center proposal will be on the June 3 agenda for fuller discussion; public speakers asked the council to place a formal agenda item for Flock as well. The council did not take formal action on the Flock contracts at the May 20 meeting.
The transcript shows the public-comment portion included repeated calls for formal council action on the Flock contract and for greater transparency about how data are stored and shared. The police chief said local procedures limit video capture and outside access, that monthly audits are performed, and that the department will investigate alleged misuse.
What happens next: Residents asked the council to schedule a dedicated agenda item on Flock; the council made no immediate policy change May 20 but invited continued public engagement and said staff and the department would be available for follow-up.
