Concerns over data privacy and police accountability took center stage at the Austin City Council Work Session on June 3, 2025. Council member Alison Siegel raised alarms about the use of Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology provided by Flock, highlighting significant violations of police protocol.

Siegel pointed out that over 11,000 searches conducted by the Austin Police Department (APD) using Flock's system during the audit cycle did not comply with the department's own guidelines. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, more than 20% of these searches lacked proper justification, raising serious questions about the oversight of data usage.

"The way this contract and the relationships with Flock's equipment work, our guardrails are not protective," Siegel stated, emphasizing the risks associated with the current data-sharing practices. She noted that despite the police department's belief that there had been no data-sharing requests since the program's restart, at least nine requests had actually occurred.

Siegel urged her colleagues to consider discontinuing the program, citing the inability to trust Flock with sensitive data. Her call for action reflects growing concerns about the balance between public safety and individual privacy rights in the age of advanced surveillance technology.

Council member Harper Madison echoed Siegel's concerns, underscoring the importance of accountability in the use of such systems. The discussion signals a pivotal moment for Austin as city leaders grapple with the implications of technology on civil liberties and law enforcement practices. The council's next steps could shape the future of surveillance in the city, as they weigh the benefits of crime prevention against the need for stringent data protection measures.