San Mateo County, California

Opposition to Flock automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras continues to spread as more governments restrict or drop the technology over privacy and misuse concerns. The Texas Department of Transportation has suspended approvals for new Flock cameras on state roadways, following an August order from Gov. Greg Abbott halting state agency funding for the devices. Texas joins Florida, which revoked permits for the cameras on state road rights-of-way after Gov. Ron DeSantis warned against creating a "digital AI surveillance state."

Locally, Half Moon Bay, California, will let its camera pilot expire rather than renew it, following El Cerrito's earlier removal in the East Bay; a San Jose officer's alleged misuse of the system to track a domestic violence victim was cited as a factor. Eastpointe, Michigan, ended its contract after separate employee misuse, and a Deer Park, Texas detective was recently suspended for hundreds of unauthorized searches. Coopertown, Tennessee, has now also terminated its Flock contract after public pushback, despite the police chief's defense of the cameras' limited tracking capability. Flock has issued new privacy guidelines to detect suspicious activity, while President Trump has voiced support for the cameras even as GOP officials remain divided and some police say losing access has slowed investigations.

Contra Costa County supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a policy restricting county cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, aligning the county with other Bay Area jurisdictions. The policy bars county resources from being used to assist federal immigration operations unless a judicial warrant is presented, and directs staff to route enforcement requests to legal counsel or designated officials. It largely follows a model policy released by state Attorney General Rob Bonta under Senate Bill 580, which requires local governments to adopt similar protections by the start of 2027.

Debate centered on whether to enact the protections as a policy or a stronger ordinance; an ordinance motion failed on a split vote, with supporters arguing it would offer more durable protection and opponents favoring a policy's faster implementation and easier amendment. Other Bay Area counties, cities, and a school district already have comparable measures in place. County employees who violate the policy face disciplinary action.