US firm Flock adds safeguards to license‑plate readers after misuse reports

A leading U.S. technology firm that supplies automatic license‑plate readers (ALPR) to law‑enforcement agencies announced a comprehensive tightening of its oversight protocols after multiple reports surfaced alleging improper use of the devices by police officers. The company, which has not been named in the reports, said it will introduce stricter access controls, mandatory audit trails, and real‑time monitoring to ensure that captured data is accessed only for legitimate investigative purposes.

The new measures include mandatory training for all officer users, periodic third‑party compliance reviews, and a revamp of the software to flag any attempts to query or export data outside approved parameters. Agency officials have been urged to adopt the updated policies immediately, and the firm pledged to cooperate with ongoing investigations into alleged violations. The steps aim to restore public confidence in ALPR technology while preserving its utility for crime‑prevention efforts.