San Diego Council to Decide Future of Flock Cameras
The City Council will vote Monday on whether to continue Flock Safety's automated license plate reader program after reports of its use in an internal affairs investigation.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Live Poll
Should San Diego keep using police license plate reader cameras?
Mayor Todd Gloria said he will not veto a San Diego City Council decision to end the Flock Automated License Plate Reader program, and the council will discuss its future during its Monday afternoon session. The debate follows reports that the San Diego Police Department allegedly used ALPR cameras during an internal affairs investigation involving a domestic violence victim and an SDPD officer.
Why it matters
Several councilmembers have voiced opposition to the program, and Gloria has said the technology has lost public trust and that every city investment must justify itself given taxpayer dollars. The outcome will determine whether San Diego continues using license plate reader technology for police work.
The City Council is scheduled to vote Monday on whether to continue the Flock Safety ALPR program, and the mayor has said he will not veto a decision to end it. SDPD states its ALPR policy does not limit the technology to criminal investigations, and the allegation that it was used in the internal affairs matter remains unconfirmed.
The players
Todd Gloria
Todd Gloria is the Mayor of San Diego, who supports the ALPR program but has said he will not veto the council's decision to end it.
San Diego Police Department
The San Diego Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency that operates the city's ALPR cameras and has said its policy does not restrict the technology to criminal investigations.
Flock Safety
Flock Safety is a private technology company that supplies the automated license plate reader systems used by the San Diego Police Department.
The details
Councilmembers Raul Campillo and Marni Von Wilpert have raised concerns about the program, with Von Wilpert calling for it to be paused immediately. The reported use of ALPR cameras in the internal affairs investigation of an SDPD officer has prompted the council to reconsider the technology.
Timeline
Monday, following November 14, 2026: San Diego City Council discusses and votes on the future of the ALPR program during its afternoon session.
Law Enforcement Oversight
The San Diego debate over Flock Safety license plate readers reflects a broader municipal question about whether police surveillance tools deployed under existing policies should be restricted after public trust erodes. The council's decision will test whether a city can halt a Flock Safety ALPR program while the mayor declines to override it.
Residents of San Diego will see whether their police department keeps using license plate cameras that record vehicle movements across the city. A decision to end the program would change how SDPD investigates cases that rely on this technology.
The takeaway
Local council votes on police surveillance tools can directly change how investigations are conducted, so following Monday's session is the clearest way to see where San Diego lands.
What happens next
The San Diego City Council will discuss and vote on the future of the Flock Safety ALPR program during its Monday afternoon session.
Further reading
For more on how local police agencies use surveillance tools, see Law Enforcement coverage for San Diego.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KSWB 5/69.
Live Poll
Should San Diego keep using police license plate reader cameras?
