Hundreds of callers urge Burbank council to cancel Flock camera contract; council asks for more info

Dozens of residents and callers used the council's public-comment period to press Burbank officials to cancel the city's contract with Flock, the company that supplies automated license-plate readers (ALPRs).

The comments dominated the meeting's public‑comment period. Speakers described concerns that Flock's cloud-based system builds a permanent database of vehicle movements and, they said, has shared data with federal agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "Get the Flock out of Burbank," said Mike Stage during the in‑person public comment period. Several callers repeated allegations that Flock feeds are accessible to outside parties and cited reports of breaches and law‑enforcement access in other jurisdictions.

Why it matters: Council members and staff told the meeting they had heard the public concerns and said they would return with more detail. The police department's proposed FY2026–27 budget includes an ongoing appropriation for ALPR equipment and maintenance; callers argued those dollars should instead be redirected to social and community services.

What council did and asked for: Council did not take immediate formal action to cancel the contract. Mayor Tamila Takahashi and other members directed staff and police to provide written clarifications and to be prepared to answer line‑item budget questions at the June 2 public hearing. "The concerns you shared are real," Vice Mayor Zette Mullins told callers. "We will have the police department explain the program, the budget, the data retention and access policies so the council and public can evaluate next steps."

Council context and next steps: Council members also said they want more specifics about how the ALPR program is used, what data is retained and shared, and what legal safeguards exist. Police Deputy Chief Adam Cornells confirmed the department had received battery reports tied to a separate protest-related incident (investigation ongoing), and said the department would follow up on community safety questions raised during the meeting. Staff promised a budget briefing and supporting materials ahead of the June 2 budget hearing so council can examine the ALPR contract line and related expenditures.

Bottom line: Residents demanded immediate cancellation of the Flock contract; council did not act on that demand tonight and instead asked staff and police to deliver a clear, traceable explanation of the program, its budget and data‑access controls before voting on related budget allocations on June 2.