The El Cerrito Police Department said Thursday it is satisfied with new safeguards implemented by Flock Safety and will continue using its 40-camera license plate reader network despite an audit that revealed a multi-year data breach.
The investigation found that several federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, were able to search the city’s license plate records. This unauthorized access occurred primarily between June and August 2023, before the department established full administrative control over the 40-camera network, according to ECPD.
Additional lapses were identified in late 2023 and as recently as May 2025, involving the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Veterans Affairs Police. These incidents occurred even after the department set explicit permissions to limit sharing to California-based law enforcement. Flock Safety informed city officials that the breaches were caused by technical errors in their system, such as misidentifying federal departments as state agencies. The company stated it has since fixed these bugs and added new security safeguards to prevent further unauthorized queries.
Other California cities, including Richmond, have suspended their use of this technology due to similar security failures. El Cerrito Police will host a public meeting on March 10 at the Hana Gardens Community Room to address community concerns regarding the audit.
California law strictly prohibits local law enforcement from sharing license plate data with out-of-state or federal authorities. The state Attorney General recently reminded agencies that license plate records must remain within state lines to protect the privacy of residents.