Get the Flock out of Eugene.
(and Springfield!)
A new AI mass surveillance system has been deployed in our cities. Let’s shut it down.
New
- 175 people turned out to the Eugene City Council on Sept 8, giving more that 35 public comments against the use of Flock. View them here.
- Civil Liberties Defense Center Releases Scathing Statement: EPD’s Flock Cameras Violate Oregon Law
The Eugene Police Department installed an AI-powered surveillance system in Eugene—without even telling the Police Commission. 67 Flock cameras from the company Flock Safety are capturing every vehicle on Eugene’s roads. In Springfield, police are installing 25 of the same cameras.
Surveillance Doesn’t Equal Safety
Wastes Money
Flock is a bad investment
with little return
Data is Misused
Flock Data Has Been Misused and Shared Without Oversight
Prone to Error
False Matches Lead to
Dangerous Mistakes
Violates Privacy
Flock is a bad investment
with little return
Chills Free Speech
Flock Data Has Been Misused
and Shared Without Oversight
We Can Stop It!
False Matches Lead to
Dangerous Mistakes
An Expensive Failure: Flock Wastes Tax Dollars
Flock’s AI surveillance costs our cities hundreds of thousands of dollars for a system with no proven track record of preventing crime. Police have not demonstrated that this technology solves crimes that would otherwise go unsolved. This is money being diverted from what truly keeps us safe.
- Misplaced Priorities – These funds could be invested in proven local services our community values—like CAHOOTS, public libraries, and mental health response.
- No Return on Investment – In cities like San Diego, the use of similar technology showed no significant impact on solving crimes like vehicle theft.
- Proven Solutions, Not Tech Fantasies – We know that investing in housing, healthcare, and community programs are what builds a safe community—not invasive surveillance that watches everyone.
Misused and Shared: Your Location Data is Not Safe
Police claim our data is safe, but Flock’s system is designed for mass sharing. The data can be saved indefinitely and shared with hundreds of outside agencies, including ICE, putting our immigrant neighbors at direct risk.
- Sanctuary City in Name Only – A 2020 investigation found ICE accessed license plate data from self-declared sanctuary cities, undermining local policy and trust.
- Hacks and Leaks are Inevitable – Federal agencies using similar systems have already had their data hacked and published online. The only way to keep data secure is to never collect it.
- A Threat to Our Neighbors – Many cities are ending their Flock contracts specifically because of concerns that the data will be used to locate and deport immigrants.
“Innocent Until Scanned”: AI Errors Put Lives at Risk
Flock’s system isn’t perfect—it makes errors in up to 10% of cases. In a high-stakes police encounter, that mistake can be deadly. These aren’t harmless glitches; they are dangerous flaws that wrongfully target innocent people.
- Real-World Harm – In Aurora, Colorado, a machine error led police to hold a Black family, including young children, at gunpoint. The city later paid the family $1.9 million for the traumatic mistake.
- Unequal Justice – These false matches disproportionately endanger communities of color, who already face more aggressive policing. The technology inherits and amplifies existing biases.
Your Every Move Is Tracked
Flock cameras track and store the movements of every vehicle—yours included—without a warrant, suspicion, or consent. This is not targeted policing; it is mass surveillance of the entire population.
- Documenting Your Movements – This system creates a detailed map of your private life, where you work, worship, protest, and seek healthcare,and stores it in a massive database. All without a warrant.
- Targeting the Innocent – In Los Angeles, an audit of a similar system revealed that over 99% of scanned plates belonged to people not suspected of any crime.
- Unconstitutional Searches – A federal court in Virginia is currently hearing a case arguing that Flock’s warrantless data collection violates the Fourth Amendment.
A Tool to Silence Dissent
Constant surveillance threatens our freedom of expression. When people know they are being tracked, they are less likely to attend a political protest, visit a specific place of worship, or organize within their community. This is not safety; it is suppression.
- Guilt by Association – This technology captures not just license plates, but bumper stickers and other vehicle details, allowing police to search for vehicles based on citizens’ political beliefs.
- Chilling Free Speech – Studies confirm that the presence of surveillance tools deters attendance at political and religious events. People should not have to choose between their rights and their privacy.
- Eroding Public Trust – Safety is built on trust between the community and its public servants. Mass surveillance creates a culture of suspicion, not trust.
Our Community, Our Choice: We Have the Power to Stop This
We do not have to accept this future for our community. The decision rests with our local city councils, who have the authority and responsibility to reject this invasive technology now.
- Cities are Fighting Back – Communities across the country, including San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, have successfully restricted or banned this technology.
- Buyer’s Remorse is Real – Other cities like Austin and Denver have chosen not to renew or expand their contracts with Flock after seeing its true costs.
- Act Locally – We can be proactive in defending our rights and our neighbors. Our community can and should be next to reject mass surveillance.