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| An illustration of a Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera. The City of Tempe has stopped all sharing of data from its Flock ALPR system amid community privacy concerns and recent reports of misuse by other law enforcement agencies. Illustration: iSkyNews.com / AI-generated |
Tempe Police Ends All Flock License Plate Reader Data Sharing Amid Privacy Concerns
By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published August 11th, 2026
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TEMPE, Ariz. — The Tempe Police Department has stopped all data sharing from its Flock automated license plate reader system following community privacy concerns and the recent misuse of the technology by two local law enforcement agencies.
The City of Tempe announced that all sharing of data collected through its Flock Automated License Plate Readers, or ALPRs, was stopped Monday.
The move goes a step further than previous restrictions that limited Tempe's data sharing to law enforcement agencies within Arizona.
“While we had previously restricted data sharing to Arizona law enforcement agencies only, this additional step will further safeguard Tempe’s data and ensure we maintain appropriate control over access,” Tempe Police Chief Ken McCoy said.
Other Agencies Will Need to Request Information
Tempe Police said the department will continue cooperating with other law enforcement agencies throughout Arizona, but agencies seeking information will now have to request it through the appropriate process rather than accessing shared Flock data.
Automated license plate readers use cameras to scan vehicle license plates and compare the information against law enforcement databases.
The technology can alert officers when a vehicle has been reported stolen or is associated with a missing person, criminal investigation or crime in progress.
Police say the technology can assist investigators in solving crimes, recovering stolen property and alerting officers to potential dangers.
Tempe Police Says Audits Found No Misuse
According to the city, Tempe Police has never used Flock Safety data for purposes outside of law enforcement and has implemented safeguards designed to prevent improper access.
The department conducts monthly audits of searches performed through the Flock Safety system.
Officers accessing the system are required to enter report numbers, and each entry is reviewed to determine whether the data was accessed for a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
The department's most recent audit was conducted Friday, August 7.
Tempe Police said no misuse was discovered during that audit or any previous audit of its Flock system.
New Transparency Portal Launched
Along with ending data sharing, Tempe Police has launched a new online Transparency Portal that allows members of the public to view information about how the department uses its automated license plate reader technology.
The portal provides live data and usage metrics intended to show how the technology is operated and governed.
According to the city, providing public access to the information is intended to increase transparency and community trust.
Tempe Police Flock Transparency Portal
Tempe to Seek Bids for License Plate Reader System
The City of Tempe also plans to open a competitive bidding process for an automated license plate reader vendor in the near future.
According to the city, the upcoming Request for Proposals will seek a system offering strong data security protections while continuing to provide public safety capabilities.
The eventual contract is also expected to contain penalties for misuse of data by the selected vendor.
Details about the RFP, including requirements and safeguards expected of prospective vendors, will be made available through the city's procurement website.
The announcement comes as the use and sharing of automated license plate reader information continues to face scrutiny over how law enforcement agencies access, store and distribute vehicle-location data.
Source: City of Tempe / Tempe Police Department
Stay tuned to iSkyNews.com for updates as additional information becomes available.
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