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Cities ditch Flock, replace with Axon license-plate readers

techAug 6, 2026322,059

A handful of U.S. cities have removed Flock Safety automatic license plate reader cameras and immediately contracted Axon for replacement ALPR systems, 404 Media reported. Axon advertises AI-powered cameras that attach to existing streetlamps to blend into surroundings and also collects plate data from cameras inside patrol vehicles. Local reporting and government documents show recent moves in Syracuse (council vote 7-1 to approve an Axon contract), Denver (city council voted 7-6 for a one-year, 50-camera Axon contract, fewer than half the Flock units), Grand Chute (voted to transition to Axon after repeated Flock problems), Douglas County, Colorado (nearly $22.8 million Axon deal for 100 cameras and first responder drones), Ferndale, Michigan (cited privacy concerns with Flock while noting Axon’s one-to-one data sharing), Longmont (unanimous approval after letting Flock agreement lapse), and Knoxville, Texas (a $9.4 million Axon amendment including replacement ALPRs). 404 Media noted the shift follows backlash over Flock links to ICE queries, tracking of a woman who self-administered an abortion, and documented abuses by officers, but said many cities are opting to swap vendors rather than end ALPR deployments. The pattern so far suggests municipalities may continue expanding ALPR coverage through contracts with Axon even as public scrutiny of vendor practices persists.

Hypervisible
@hypervisible.blacksky.app

Flock has justifiably received tons of outrage, but Axon (and a bunch of other companies) are also purveyors of mass surveillance. Canceling a Flock contract and replacing it with an Axon one is just changing your flavor of authoritarianism.

59745d ago
Joseph Cox
@josephcox.bsky.social

New from 404 Media: around the country, cities are ditching Flock. But in many cases, immediately replacing Flock with Axon cameras. These clamp to an existing streetlamp so harder to spot. May be harder for public to know what cops are using the cameras for www.404media.co/cities-are-d...

43945d ago
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