A federal judge in Tulsa, Oklahoma has ruled that a sheriff’s deputy violated a woman's Fourth Amendment rights by using Flock Safety’s automated license plate reader system to search for her vehicle’s license plate without obtaining a warrant. Judge Sara Hill emphasized that the deputy lacked any specific reason for the search besides the fact that the vehicle had a California plate. This ruling marks one of the first federal declarations that a warrantless use of Flock technology is unconstitutional, indicating the need for legal safeguards around such surveillance tools.

Judge Hill criticized the Flock Safety system for enabling “indiscriminate mass surveillance,” pointing out that it collects location data on all vehicles passing network-connected cameras without targeting an individual specifically. She highlighted the constitutional issues raised when law enforcement passively and broadly catalogs people’s whereabouts over extended periods and uses that data at will. This case involved the deputy using information from Flock’s database to justify searching the woman’s car, where 91 pounds of meth were allegedly found; however, Judge Hill ruled that all evidence stemming from the warrantless search must be suppressed as “the fruit of a poisonous tree.”

The ruling aligns with growing opposition to Flock Safety’s technology across the political spectrum and in multiple states. Governments in Florida and Texas, among others, have recently moved to discontinue their use of Flock cameras due to privacy concerns. Additionally, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation called the Block Flock Act, which aims to prohibit federal agencies from employing automated license plate readers like Flock, highlighting the increasing scrutiny these surveillance tools face at the federal level.

Flock Safety’s CEO Garrett Langley has responded by calling for a balanced approach that weighs privacy against public safety, also apologizing to women who have reportedly been stalked by law enforcement using Flock’s system. Meanwhile, the company is reportedly offering voluntary buyouts to reduce its workforce amid shrinking contracts and mounting backlash. This case and growing criticism signal significant challenges ahead for the widespread deployment of automated license plate reader surveillance technologies.