LAPD's relationship with Flock Safety under scrutiny from oversight body

"Commissioner Jeff Skobin requested a report from the department about its relationship with Flock, citing his conversations with city officials and residents, as well as news reporting detailing how federal authorities had repeatedly accessed Flock's surveillance data as part of their nationwide deportation crackdown."

"The chief added that the department was aware of news reports suggesting that a 'configuration error' by Flock had allowed out-of-state law enforcement agencies, including federal agents, to access license plate data from Ventura County in violation of state law. McDonnell said he ordered an internal audit to determine whether similar inadvertent sharing had occurred within the Los Angeles Police Department."

"Flock sincerely regrets the confusion and mistrust this has created within several communities, and made every effort possible to determine the cause of each reported instance of inadvertent sharing. Unfortunately, due to earlier limitations in technical logging, in some cases it is impossible to determine a specific cause."

The Los Angeles Police Commission demanded transparency regarding Flock Safety's data handling practices after discovering federal authorities accessed the company's surveillance data during deportation operations. Commissioner Jeff Skobin requested the LAPD explain how it ensures federal agents cannot access license plate information for immigration enforcement. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell acknowledged a configuration error by Flock allowed out-of-state law enforcement, including federal agents, to access Ventura County data illegally. McDonnell ordered an internal audit to check for similar unauthorized sharing within the LAPD. Flock issued a statement accepting responsibility for data disclosures and implementing additional safeguards, though acknowledged technical limitations prevented determining causes for some inadvertent sharing incidents.

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