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Residents urge Costa Mesa to cancel Flock license‑plate camera contract; council schedules review
Summary
Dozens of residents urged the Costa Mesa City Council to terminate its contract for Flock automated license‑plate readers, citing alleged data sharing with out‑of‑state and federal agencies, officer misuse and security flaws; council directed staff to present a full review and possible cancellation at the July 21 meeting.
Dozens of residents urged the Costa Mesa City Council to end the city’s contract with Flock Safety, the private automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) vendor, saying the system poses privacy and civil‑liberties risks.
Speakers at the public‑comment period accused the vendor and some police partners of sharing plate‑reader data beyond California and of failing to maintain adequate access controls. Rachel, a Costa Mesa resident, told the council: “Please get Flock out of Costa Mesa.” Other speakers cited audits from other cities that show searches tied to federal agencies and pointed to a local allegation that a former officer used ALPR access for personal surveillance.
Why it matters: Residents and civil‑rights attorneys said the city’s Flock contract includes language that could allow disclosure to outside agencies and lacks clear penalties for misuse. Nicole Pearson, who identified herself as a constitutional and civil‑rights attorney, warned that a searchable database of everyday movements “treats every person in Costa Mesa as a data point to be collected, stored and searched.”
Council reaction and next steps: Multiple council members asked staff and the police chief to present a full review. City Manager Cecilia Gallardo Daily confirmed the council would receive a presentation on July 21 in which the police chief will review Flock safety measures and alternatives; council members requested that the agenda include a potential up‑or‑down vote on whether to cancel the contract.
What remained unresolved: Speakers and some council members pressed for access to the city’s audit logs and for clear answers about which outside agencies can query the network. Several residents asked the city to immediately suspend sharing arrangements with agencies alleged to have access; the council did not take that emergency action at the meeting but committed to the July 21 follow‑up.
Next steps: The July 21 agenda will include the police‑department presentation and a council‑level opportunity to vote on whether to terminate the Flock contract or adopt other measures recommended by staff.
