ACLU of Ohio Disappointed over Cleveland City Council’s Continued Partnership with Flock

The ACLU of Ohio condemns Cleveland City Council's passage of an emergency ordinance renewing its contract with Flock Safety, a prominent tech company that provides automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) to thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. Extending the contract for six months, this vote comes after the city's previous contract expired on June 29 and as city officials consider a competitive bidding process for a new ALPR vendor. Flock ALPRs have continued to be active for the past few weeks despite the contract expiration.

"Instead of listening to concerns from Clevelanders all around the city about how ALPRs violate our privacy rights by functioning as a mass surveillance network, the city has decided not only to continue contracting with Flock for the time being but also to double down on warrantless government spying. Residents have been clear that we cannot trust any company that sells this technology to protect our privacy rights, whether that vendor is Flock or one of its competitors. Mass surveillance does not make us safer," said Sean McCann, policy strategist for the ACLU of Ohio.

As this process unfolds, the ACLU of Ohio will continue to warn the public about the grave risks this technology poses to our civil rights, in Cleveland and across the state. Dozens of cities across the country have chosen to cancel their contracts with Flock and other ALPR vendors. Cleveland can and should join them.