Multiple Pacifica residents urge council to cancel Flock ALPR contract, citing privacy and data-sharing risks

A sustained wave of public comment at the Pacifica City Council meeting focused on automated license-plate readers (ALPRs) and the city's contract with Flock, with many residents urging cancellation or stricter safeguards.

Speakers warned that the system amounts to indiscriminate surveillance and expressed concern about data sharing with federal agencies such as ICE and DHS. "Flock safety outright just should not be welcome in our town," a commenter said, arguing the cameras enable bulk tracking and pose risks to immigrant and marginalized residents. Another speaker cited the civil grand jury's findings and said Pacifica's own search logs show data sharing without proper processes. Multiple residents urged adoption of an ordinance that would limit data sharing, require warrant protections, or halt the contract.

Supporters of caution asked the city to produce a cost-benefit analysis and evidence of cases solved using ALPRs. Council members and City Manager Sean Charpentier said staff will prepare additional materials and responses to the county civil grand jury; Chief of Police Maria Sarasu directed residents to the police department's transparency portal and provided an email for questions. "Any questions related to the Flock camera system can be directed to our email address...or our transparency portal," Sarasu said. Staff told the council the city must submit statutory responses to the county grand jury by the end of October and that more information on the Flock program will be provided in that timeframe.