Surprise ends Flock Safety contract after officer misuse investigation

17 August 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]

The City of Surprise ended its contract with Flock Safety on Monday, approximately one week after launching an investigation into potential misuse of the system by a police officer. The officer was placed on leave pending completion of the investigation, which began on August 12. The city requested removal of all Flock equipment from the jurisdiction. No details about the specific alleged misuse or the officer's identity were provided in the announcement.

Surprise had deployed ALPR technology for more than two years before the cancellation. City officials stated the system had contributed to solving multiple crimes during that period. The cancellation comes amid broader scrutiny of automated license plate readers in Arizona and nationally. Tempe Police recently suspended all data sharing from Flock cameras following community privacy concerns and reports of misuse at other agencies. Multiple officers across the region have faced scrutiny for potential violations involving ALPR systems.

The contract termination establishes a public record of Surprise's decision to discontinue the program and provides residents with documentation of the circumstances prompting that choice. Anyone seeking details about how the system was deployed, which locations had cameras, or what data was collected can now request records related to the two-year operational period. Residents in other Arizona municipalities can check their city council meeting minutes and police department contracts to determine whether similar ALPR programs remain active and whether comparable investigations or policy changes have occurred.

Read the original reporting: azfamily.com.