Chandler ends Flock license plate camera program after audit flags internal misuse

Coverage spread: 4 sources — 4 unrated

Lean ratings via AllSides / Media Bias-Fact-Check. How this works.

Where they agree

Chandler is discontinuing use of its 40 Flock fixed-camera license plate readers and won’t renew its contract with Flock Group Inc.
A routine audit uncovered an “anomaly” pointing to potential misuse of the system by someone within the Chandler Police Department, now under internal investigation.
Police Chief Bryan Chapman said no evidence has surfaced that public or resident privacy was compromised, and all department access to Flock has been suspended.
Flock Group responded that the situation validates its built-in auditing tools, which it says are designed to catch exactly this kind of internal misuse.

Where they differ

ABC15 and AZFamily give the most detail on the city’s official process, including that this was Chandler’s third annual audit and that it plans to revisit policy before any future ALPR use.
FOX 10’s full report includes on-the-record community reaction from East Valley Unite’s Nathan Taylortaft and resident Michael Oei, who tie the incident to broader data-privacy concerns — voices not featured in the AZFamily or 12News pieces.
FOX 10 notes the timing angle other outlets omit: the announcement came just before Chandler’s City Council was set to vote on the Flock contract, and that vote has now been pulled from the agenda.
12 News offers only a brief summary, while AZFamily and FOX 10 include fuller direct quotes from Chief Chapman about the scope of database access (roughly 200 trained employees) and the investigative timeline.

The city of Chandler, Arizona, is shutting down its network of 40 Flock automated license plate readers after a routine audit turned up an “anomaly” that police say points to misuse by someone inside the police department. Chandler Police Chief Bryan Chapman said all department employees have had their access to the Flock system cut off immediately while an internal investigation continues, and the city says it will not renew its contract with Flock Group Inc.

What did the audit find?

According to the city, its routine audit process — something it has done for three years — flagged unusual activity in the Flock system that could not be explained by normal police work. Chief Chapman said he learned of the potential misuse on Thursday, August 6, and that it involves someone within the department, though he declined to give further details since the investigation is active. About 200 department employees had access to the Flock database, all of whom had gone through specialized training before being granted access.

Was anyone’s personal information compromised?

Chandler officials said their initial review found no evidence that a resident’s or member of the public’s privacy was compromised. Chapman echoed that, saying he is confident in the department’s internal safeguards, policies, training, and accountability systems, but acknowledged the incident is a chance to build more transparency around the technology.

What happens to the cameras now?

The 40 fixed cameras and their poles belong to Flock, not the city, and will be removed by the company; they won’t be taken down immediately. Chandler says it plans to review and strengthen its policies before deciding whether to bring automated license plate readers back in the future. The city had been due to bring its Flock contract before the City Council for a vote later in the week, but that item has been pulled from the agenda.

How long had Chandler been using Flock cameras?

Chandler launched a pilot program with 14 Flock cameras in March 2024 and expanded it to 40 cameras by May 2025. Chapman said the technology had become an important investigative tool for the department and that losing it will slow down some investigative work, describing ALPR as one layer among several technologies police rely on for calls and investigations.

How is Flock responding?

Flock Group Inc. said in a statement that it is disappointed by Chandler’s decision but argued the episode shows why it built auditing tools in the first place. The company said its Audit Assistance feature is designed to help police departments catch this kind of internal issue, and that public awareness of misuse cases is rising not because such misuse is new, but because the company’s tools are now bringing it to light.

What are residents and advocates saying?

Community members who had already raised concerns about the cameras said the incident confirms fears they’d voiced before. Nathan Taylortaft, a representative of East Valley Unite, said his group had warned that Flock cameras and license plate readers have been misused in various places and hoped to prevent that in Chandler. Resident Michael Oei framed the concern more broadly, saying the issue isn’t unique to Flock but reflects a business model built around collecting and profiting from people’s data. Both residents said they support a city ordinance permanently barring Chandler from using license plate readers and plan to keep pressing the City Council on the issue.

Why does this matter beyond Chandler?

Flock’s license plate readers are used by law enforcement agencies across the country, capturing images of plates and vehicle details to help solve crimes, but the technology has drawn sustained criticism over data privacy, indefinite storage of vehicle records, and the potential for misuse by officers with database access. Chandler’s decision makes it one of several Arizona jurisdictions to step back from Flock technology, adding to a broader national debate over how much oversight this kind of surveillance tool needs and who should be allowed to use it.

Sources

Featured photo: Cygnusloop99 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)