Audit Log Analysis

The More the Logs Change, the More the Oversight Stays the Same

Flock Safety audit log entries — including unique IDs and timestamps — change between downloads, with 3-7% of records swapping daily. Because of course they do.

Flock's FreeForm Free-For-All

An analysis of 3,217 FreeForm search logs from 124 agencies reveals that Flock's "content moderation" blocks constitutionally sound searches while approving nationwide dragnets targeting military affiliation, political expression, and people wearing jeans.

New California Report, Old Flock Shenanigans

I think you should go home now, Flock! Get back on San Vicente. Take it to the 10, switch over to 405 North and let it dump you onto Mulholland — where you belong!

The Northern California Fusion Center: A High School Case Study

NCRIC's post-SB 34 policy changes stripped security requirements and audit oversight while its log data shows explosive, bot-like search activity from anonymous accounts—raising the question of whether California's largest fusion center is laundering out-of-state access to ALPR data.

Who Watches the Watchers? Not the ACLU.

Unredacted audit logs aren't a leak—they're the only functional check on surveillance abuse

Disproportionate by Default: The Reason Behind the Reason Field

Police routinely retrieve 30-day location histories for minor infractions, welfare checks, and "stranger danger"—not because investigations require it, but because it is the default setting.

Public Policy vs. Private Sharing: California Rebuilds the National Network

With states enacting bans on interstate dissemination of ALPR data and the public's interest in oversight and accountability, Flock and police are getting creative. Flock built the tools to rebuild what state legislatures dismantled—one checkbox at a time.

FBI Circulates Bulletin: Keep Flock Searches Vague, Punish Transparency

A Houston HIDTA bulletin, forwarded by the FBI to its intelligence community, instructs Flock users to enter vague search reasons and exclude agencies that comply with public records laws.

Florida Sheriff Uses Flock as Lie Detector, Asks County to Suppress Discussion

Hernando County's sheriff wants commissioners to help "minimize public discussion" of ALPR surveillance—and won't explain why in writing. Buried in his email is an admission he uses Flock data to dismiss witness testimony.

Flock Decides Cops Can't Be Trusted with Cop Data

Flock unilaterally stripped officer names, license plates, and filters from the audit logs it provides to police agencies—the same logs the company touts as 'immutable' and 'tamper-proof.'

3,466 Searches, Zero Hits: How Flock Failed an Amber Alert

Police searched Flock's license plate database over 3,000 times during a nine-week Amber Alert. The system had spotted the suspect before he even reached his target. In the end, a woman at a Nebraska truck stop did what billions of plate scans couldn't.

ACLU and University of Iowa Conduct Case Study in Institutional Contempt

Iowa agencies invent confidentiality exemptions, contradict their own legal obligations, and face zero consequences. A statewide ALPR records request exposes the system.

AMBER Alert: Santa Cruz Logs (Update: Logs Still Missing, Presumed Dead)

Have you seen this search log? 80% of Santa Cruz's logs disappear without a trace, and are presumed dead.

Secret Searches

Not all audit data is created equal. Some agencies release complete records; others redact key information. Here's how to understand what you're seeing.

The Memory Hole: Flock's Three-Step Plan to Kill Transparency

Flock removes device counts, blocks transparency tools, and disables Wayback Machine archiving. Their three-step plan to eliminate oversight.

"The Burden of Compliance Shouldn't Stand in the Way of Public Safety"

Flock launches anti-oversight campaign as audit logs expose questionable agency actions. The company blocked transparency tools hours after publication.