San Francisco police found that outside agencies queried the city's Flock license plate camera network about 300 times in a single year in ways the department itself called improper. You can use the California Public Records Act to ask SFPD whether your plate shows up in its search logs, who had access, and how long it keeps the data.
The city has not voted to cancel Flock. But the audit, a September party vote backing the cameras, and a possible contract renewal in early 2027 put the network back on the table. Here is what was reported, what you can request, and what to say before the renewal comes up.
What happened in San Francisco
At a Police Commission meeting on June 17, 2026, SFPD disclosed that an audit had found 299 illegal inquiries into its Flock network over one year, Mission Local reported. According to that report, the searches ran through the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center and the Western States Information Network, and the agencies involved included the Drug Enforcement Administration, the IRS, the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Forest Service, and police in Idaho and Oregon.
Police Chief Derrick Lew said ICE and DHS did not directly access the system. Mission Local noted that data could still have reached them through other agencies. KALW reported that the audit found no evidence the queries involved immigration enforcement or reproductive rights, and that California law bars this kind of out-of-state and federal sharing regardless of the reason. SFPD restricted outside access after the findings.
This was not the first problem. Mission Local reported that between 2024 and 2025, out-of-state agencies accessed San Francisco's Flock data 1.6 million times. The new breach is being investigated by the city's Human Rights Commission and the Department of Police Accountability.
On September 24, 2026, the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee voted 11-3, with four abstentions, for a resolution by Chair Nancy Tung and Supervisor Matt Dorsey that affirms trust in the city's existing use of Flock cameras. A competing proposal from Gordon Mar called for more guardrails. Mission Local also reported that two committee members who work for Flock voted on the measure. The committee vote is a party position, not city policy. According to the same report, the Board of Supervisors may decide whether to renew the Flock contract in February 2027.
What the cameras log
KALW reported that roughly 400 Flock cameras were installed in San Francisco in 2024. Flock cameras photograph passing vehicles and turn each read into a searchable record: plate, time, location, and vehicle details. Our explainer on what a Flock camera is covers the basics.
The part that matters for you is the audit trail. Every search an officer or outside analyst runs leaves an entry. That log is how SFPD found the 299 improper queries, and it is the record you want to ask for.
How to request your records under the California Public Records Act
Send a written request to the San Francisco Police Department under the California Public Records Act. Email or the city's records request system is fine; keep a copy with the date you sent it.
Ask for:
- Any Flock audit log entries showing a search of your license plate (give the plate and state) for a date range, such as the last 12 months.
- The audit report or presentation on improper inquiries shown to the Police Commission in June 2026.
- A list of every agency, task force, or fusion center that has had search access to SFPD's Flock data, and the dates access began and ended.
- SFPD's current ALPR usage policy and its data retention setting in Flock.
- Any correspondence with Flock or outside agencies about restricting access after the audit.
Under Government Code section 7922.535, the agency must decide within 10 days whether it has disclosable records and tell you why. In unusual circumstances it can extend that deadline by written notice, but the extension cannot exceed 14 days. That is a deadline to respond, not always a deadline to hand everything over, so ask for an estimated production date if they need more time.
Our step-by-step guide to finding out if police searched your license plate explains what a useful log looks like and how to read it. If you want the wording done for you, the $9 Records Request Letter Pack includes a plate-search letter and an ALPR policy and audit-log letter you can fill in and send.
What to do before the renewal comes up
The contract decision runs through City Hall, so the pressure points are the Police Commission and the Board of Supervisors.
- Ask the Police Commission for a public update on the Human Rights Commission and Department of Police Accountability investigations, and whether any outside access has been restored.
- Email your supervisor and ask where they stand on renewal in February 2027. Ask whether they would require a public audit report before any vote.
- Bring records to public comment. One page from your own records request carries more weight than a general complaint.
- Map what you see. If you spot a camera, photograph it from the sidewalk and log the location. Our camera maps page lists DeFlock and other maps you can check or add to.
For a full campaign plan, see how other cities pushed their councils in September's wave of Flock votes.
Questions people ask
Did San Francisco cancel its Flock cameras?
No. As of late September 2026 the cameras are still in use. Mission Local reported that the Board of Supervisors may decide on renewing the contract in February 2027.
Who accessed San Francisco's Flock data without permission?
Mission Local reported that an SFPD audit found 299 illegal inquiries in one year, involving agencies including the DEA, IRS, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Forest Service, and police in Idaho and Oregon. SFPD's chief said ICE and DHS did not directly access the system.
Can I find out if SFPD searched my license plate?
You can ask. File a California Public Records Act request with SFPD for Flock audit log entries showing searches of your plate. The agency may withhold some details, but it has to respond and explain any withholding.
How long does SFPD have to answer a public records request?
Under Government Code section 7922.535, 10 days to decide whether it has disclosable records, with a possible extension of up to 14 days in unusual circumstances.
Is it legal for California police to share plate data with other states?
KALW reported that California law prohibits sharing this data with out-of-state and federal agencies, which is why the queries SFPD found were treated as improper.
Start with the free Flock Camera Field Guide: six pages on how Flock works, what to request, and how to read what comes back. Want to see what else is out there about you? Take the free 3-minute exposure check. When you are ready to file, the Records Request Letter Pack gives you the plate-search and audit-log letters for $9.
This is general information, not legal advice. Statutes and local policies change; check the current text before you file.
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