SURPRISE, Ariz. Many of the roadside license-plate reader cameras owned by Flock Safety remain in place more than a month after Surprise canceled its contract and asked the company to remove the equipment.
The city notified Flock Safety on Aug. 13 that it was ending the agreement. ABC15 reported Wednesday, Sept. 16, that dozens of the pole-mounted cameras were still visible along Surprise roads and intersections.
City officials told the station that Surprise has followed up with Flock seeking a removal schedule. The company said it was still determining a date, according to ABC15. The city does not plan to cover the remaining cameras while it waits for them to be removed.
The cameras’ continued physical presence does not by itself establish whether they are operating or collecting data. ABC15’s report did not confirm that the remaining devices were still capturing or storing vehicle information. That distinction matters because residents quoted by the station raised concerns about possible continued data collection.
What the cameras do
Flock’s automated license-plate reader system photographs vehicles and records plate information and other identifying characteristics. Law-enforcement agencies use the searchable data to locate vehicles connected to investigations.
Before the contract was canceled, Surprise police said the system had assisted investigations involving homicides, robberies and carjackings. Supporters view the technology as a useful investigative tool. Critics have raised concerns about privacy, data sharing and the potential for searches unrelated to legitimate police work.
Cancellation followed scrutiny of camera use
Surprise ended the contract during broader scrutiny of automated license-plate readers across Arizona. The city requested removal of all Flock-owned equipment when it sent the cancellation notice.
The Surprise Police Department later posted an Aug. 26 finding that an investigation determined a Surprise officer did not misuse the automated license-plate reader system. That finding addressed the officer’s conduct, while the separate question of removing the vendor’s physical equipment remains unresolved.
Other Arizona communities have also reconsidered Flock systems. Tempe ended its program and covered cameras while preparing for removal. ABC15 reported that Surprise has no current plan to cover its remaining devices.
What happens next
The immediate question is when Flock will provide a removal date and take down the cameras. ABC15 said it contacted the company repeatedly but had not received a response before publication.
Until the city or company publishes a schedule, residents can see the equipment but cannot determine its operating status from the poles alone. A complete resolution would establish both when the devices stopped collecting data and when the vendor will remove them from public rights of way.
Featured image: AI-generated editorial illustration for West Valley Post. It does not depict an actual Surprise camera or location.
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