Syracuse University’s new license plate reader program could shrink, if the Syracuse Common Council approves legislation to block Flock Safety from accessing city streets.
The university recently installed five Flock readers around its campus and intends to install at least one more on campus. SU also planned to install two readers on city property, near campus.
Like the 13 Flock readers the Syracuse Police Department operates around the city, those cameras silently log identifying details on every vehicle that passes by, including plate number, car color, car make, car model, and even bumper stickers.
In the council’s Wednesday study session, Councilor Jimmy Monto prepared for a Monday vote two agenda items that would revoke Flock’s privileges to install, operate, and maintain its AI-powered plate scanners in Syracuse, including the two SU wants to install on the city property. It’s unclear whether the revocation will pass but Councilor Marty Nave said he intends to vote for his colleagues’ legislation.
The university has so far declined to answer questions from Central Current about where the readers are located.
“This revocation is necessary because of the possibility that Flock has been collecting personal data that may violate the privacy of members of the public and the concerns that such data may be inappropriately shared,” the legislation states. “This legislation demands the removal of Flock from the city right of way.”
SU’s move to partner with Flock came as local officials around the nation have reckoned with investigative reports that identified apparent gaps in the company’s conduct and communications.
Syracuse University spokesperson Sarah Scalese said Flock Safety’s license plate readers were best for the university, in part because the company has contracted with thousands of other cities. Scalese used the license plate readers’ installation in Syracuse as a reason for the university’s comfort with the company.
SU did not directly respond to multiple questions about what agencies, if any, the university shares its data with. The university declined to provide Central Current a copy of its contract.
The university and Syracuse police now comprise small nodes in Flock Safety’s national surveillance network, which boasts nearly 6,000 law enforcement agencies and more than 1,000 private entities as customers. Across 49 states, Flock’s users operate over 83,000 license plate readers, and the company encourages each customer to join forces with the rest of Flock’s national network to share data.
Since spring 2025, Flock has found itself in the crosshairs of recurring criticism from privacy advocates, civil liberties watchdogs and officials in both chambers of Congress.
Flock’s data sharing practices came into question locally when Syracuse’s own data appeared in almost 4.4 million searches from around the nation, including 2,097 “immigration-related” searches from outside municipalities, said department spokesperson Kieran Coffey.
Though Flock has consistently stated it doesn’t have any formal contracts with federal immigration agencies, the company was found in September to have granted Customs and Border Protection agents a covert account that allowed CBP to search local departments’ databases around the nation.
Flock’s conduct has led to a Congressional investigation and calls from Oregon Senator Ron Wyden for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the company, alleging its practices pose severe national cybersecurity risks.
Meanwhile, dozens of municipalities have terminated their contracts with Flock or are in the process of doing so, as Monto and Williams referenced in a letter last week introducing their legislation.
Central Current asked Scalese whether SU would continue its contract with Flock if the council ends Syracuse’s own agreement with the company. Scalese had not responded at the time of publication.
Advocates have welcomed the news of Monto’s and Williams’ efforts to do what the advocates have encouraged for months: terminate Syracuse’s relationship with Flock Safety.
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Communications Director Will Owen praised the proposed legislation as a step toward protecting abortion seekers and immigrants. STOP in September called on SPD and SU to end their contracts with Flock.
Daniel Schwarz, a Senior Privacy & Technology Strategist at the New York Civil Liberties Union, encouraged city officials to pass comprehensive legislation that provides public oversight of license plate readers. Schwarz is a member of the city’s Surveillance Technology Working Group.
Schwarz and the NYCLU encouraged the Common Council to restrict the use of LPRs, shorten data retention periods, and prohibit any data-sharing without explicit judicial authorization.
The city council did not discuss the Flock legislation during its public study session, and instead met with Syracuse police leadership in an executive session.
Afterward, Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile in a statement to Central Current praised the city councilors for allowing the police department to present its perspective on both Flock Safety and the license plate readers it has provided.
“I can’t say much as it was an executive session, but I can say that we had a very productive meeting with the common councilors,” Cecile said. “I am appreciative of their willingness to listen.”
Monto and Williams made clear that they are distrustful of the Flock Safety itself, not of Syracuse police detectives who have used the company’s readers since 2024 for investigations.
Councilor Chol Majok, though, who sponsored the Flock readers in 2023, told syracuse.com | The Post Standard he would have to do more research before determining his thoughts on Monto and Williams’ legislation.
As chair of the Public Safety Committee, Majok called a meeting in July to discuss how the Syracuse Police Department had inadvertently opted into Flock’s national data-sharing network.
Majok has not responded to Central Current’s requests for comment in person, by text, by phone call or by email.
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