Police Entered Arbitrary Terms for License Plate Searches
Officers across the United States used non-professional search justifications in license plate reader databases.
Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Police departments across the U.S. were found to have entered nonsensical terms as search justifications in license plate reader databases. The Electronic Frontier Foundation reported these findings, which spanned from March 2024 through May 2026.
Why it matters
The misuse of free-text justification fields raises significant oversight concerns regarding how sensitive surveillance data is accessed by law enforcement. While some departments cited software frustration, these practices highlight gaps in accountability for digital monitoring tools.
Investigations identified documented searches using terms like 'LOL', 'idk', and 'Sexy' across multiple states. Flock Safety responded by replacing the free-text entry field with a required drop-down selection menu to standardize usage.
The players
Electronic Frontier Foundation
This is a non-profit organization that defends civil liberties in the digital world and monitors law enforcement surveillance technology.
Flock Safety
This is a technology company that provides license plate reader software and automated surveillance hardware to police departments.
Goshen Police Department
This local law enforcement agency was cited for a specific high-volume camera access search conducted in May 2025.
The details
Officers in departments including Goshen, Barberton, Lake County, Richmond, Norton, Thornton, and Columbus entered keyboard gibberish or unprofessional terms into the system. Agencies in states such as Georgia, Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Kentucky were identified in the findings.
Timeline
Between March 2024 and May 2026, Barberton Police Department employees used unprofessional search reasons.
On May 7, 2025, a Goshen Police Department officer searched data from 82,413 cameras using 'idk' as a justification.
Legal Context
This incident follows a pattern set by the Electronic Frontier Foundation's report on license plate reader misuse regarding how agencies manage digital oversight. The growing reliance on automated surveillance software has outpaced the implementation of standard internal auditing protocols.
Residents should be aware that the data collected by these systems is being subjected to new software constraints to prevent further unauthorized or flippant access. This incident may prompt local governments to demand stricter transparency audits regarding how their police departments handle automated monitoring records.
The takeaway
The move to drop-down menus marks a shift toward restricting human error in surveillance logging. Agencies are now required to formalize their digital justifications rather than relying on open-ended text fields.
Further reading
For additional context on police monitoring, visit the Law Enforcement section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Carscoops.
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Should police officers be required to provide specific, written justifications for all surveillance database searches?
