Grass Valley CA ends Flock ALPR contract (Aug. 11, 2026)
Grass Valley, CA — City Council Indefinitely Suspends Flock Safety ALPR Cameras; Contract Ended and Cameras Removed (Aug. 11, 2026)
Grass Valley, CA · Grass Valley City Council meeting, Aug. 11, 2026: Flock ALPR use indefinitely suspended and contract ended
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- August 11, 2026
- Applies to
- Grass Valley Police Department; Flock Safety (contract terminated)
- Enforced by
- Grass Valley City Council; Grass Valley Police Department
At its August 11, 2026 meeting, the Grass Valley City Council ended the city's use of Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras. The council voted to 'indefinitely suspend' them, and the police department ended its Flock contract. City staff began taking the cameras down that night. The police department pointed to concerns about warrantless data collection, privacy protections, data retention, and how the information could be shared with government and non-government entities. In early September, Flock crews reinstalled some cameras without permission. Police removed them right away, and Flock later confirmed in writing that the contract had ended.
Who is protected: Grass Valley residents and drivers, who are no longer recorded by the city's Flock ALPR network
Legal detail
Grass Valley (Nevada County) ended its Flock Safety ALPR program after the Aug. 11, 2026 council meeting. The Union describes the council action as a vote to 'indefinitely suspend' use of Flock cameras; KCRA reports the city ended the contract and staff removed all cameras after the decision was announced at the meeting. Removal began Aug. 11–12. Over the 2026 Labor Day weekend (about Sept. 5–6), Flock's automated maintenance system treated the removed cameras as equipment failures and reinstalled at least two. GVPD removed them, and Flock cancelled the work orders and confirmed the termination. Stated grounds (GVPD via CBS Sacramento): warrantless data collection, privacy protections, data retention, and sharing with government and non-government entities. Classed 'effective' because this is a protective non-use decision, following the dataset convention used for other Flock terminations.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Grass Valley, CA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | August 11, 2026 |
| Citation | Grass Valley City Council meeting, Aug. 11, 2026: Flock ALPR use indefinitely suspended and contract ended |
| Topics | consumer data privacy · police and surveillance AI |
| News report | Grass Valley police remove re-installed Flock cameras after end of contract — KCRA |
Related consumer data privacy rules elsewhere
- Vermont Data Broker Law (H.211) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Chatrie v. United States (Fourth Amendment protection for location… · Blocked / in litigation
- House Bill 2512 — Banning surveillance pricing by rideshare companies · Proposed / pending
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Maine LD 61 (employer surveillance disclosure & prohibition) · In effect
- Washington SHB 1672 (employee monitoring notice, ADS restrictions, emotion AI ban) · In effect
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