A federal judge in Oklahoma has ruled that a sheriff’s deputy violated a woman’s Fourth Amendment rights by using Flock Safety’s license plate database to search her vehicle without a warrant. The decision marks one of the first instances in which a federal judge has found a Flock search unconstitutional, adding to growing scrutiny of automated license plate reader technology used by law enforcement.
The ruling was issued by U.S. District Judge Sara Hill in a case involving a Tulsa County sheriff’s deputy who searched a woman’s license plate through the Flock database before conducting a vehicle search. The decision was first highlighted by 404 Media.
Judge Questions Basis For Database Search
According to the court’s ruling, the deputy had “no apparent reason” to search the woman’s license plate other than the fact that the vehicle carried California registration.
After accessing the Flock database, the deputy reviewed the vehicle’s travel history and later used that information as part of the justification for searching the car. Authorities subsequently alleged they discovered 91 pounds of methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
Judge Hill ruled that the initial database search violated constitutional protections and determined that evidence obtained afterward could not be used in court. She wrote that all evidence gathered following the Flock search “must be suppressed as the fruit of a poisonous tree.”
Court Raises Broader Concerns About Surveillance
Beyond the specific traffic stop, Hill addressed the wider implications of warrantless searches conducted through automated license plate reader systems.
She acknowledged that individuals generally travel in public spaces where their movements can be observed. However, she argued that constitutional concerns arise when law enforcement agencies can continuously collect, store, and retrieve location information over extended periods without judicial oversight.
Hill wrote that such practices become problematic when authorities can “indiscriminately and passively catalog your whereabouts over an extended period of time and then use that information for any purpose whenever convenient.”
The judge described Flock’s system as “a type of indiscriminate mass surveillance.” Unlike the Supreme Court’s decision in Carpenter v. United States, which focused on government access to cellphone location records, Hill said Flock gathers information on all vehicles captured by network-connected cameras and makes that information available to law enforcement upon request.
Pressure On Flock Continues To Grow
Although the ruling does not establish binding legal precedent, it arrives as criticism of Flock continues to expand across the political spectrum.
Several state and local governments have already moved away from the technology. Florida and Texas recently announced plans to stop using Flock cameras due to privacy concerns, while lawmakers have increasingly questioned the scope of vehicle tracking systems.
Last week, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Block Flock Act, legislation that would prohibit federal agencies from using automated license plate reader systems such as those operated by Flock.
Flock CEO Garrett Langley has previously argued that a balance is needed between privacy and public safety. He has also apologized to women who were stalked by law enforcement officers who misused the Flock platform.
The company has faced mounting operational challenges as criticism has intensified. Reports have indicated that Flock recently offered voluntary employee buyouts as part of efforts to reduce its workforce amid growing opposition to its surveillance technology.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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