Citizen-Built Site Tracks Police Camera Activity

A website, "Have I Been Flocked?", created by former software engineer Cris van Pelt, has surged in popularity, attracting hundreds of thousands of daily visitors. Launched in October 2025, the site aims to reveal the widespread use of Flock Safety's license-plate reader technology.

Instead of showing direct camera captures, "Have I Been Flocked?" allows users to search a database of audit logs to determine if a particular license plate has been queried by Flock customers, such as police departments or companies. This database, comprising over 242 million searches since November 2021, is built from a patchwork of publicly released and requested audit logs.

Van Pelt, now a law student at the University of Iowa, stated his goal is to demonstrate the extensive and unrestricted application of these surveillance systems. His work is part of a larger grassroots movement involving volunteers who assist with public records requests and user inquiries, often through the DeFlock Discord community.

Flock Safety's technology, used in over 6,000 communities across 49 states, has been credited with aiding crime investigations but also faces criticism regarding potential misuse and inaccuracies. Recent reports highlighted instances of law enforcement misuse and errors in license plate readings leading to wrongful stops and detentions. In response, Flock Safety announced changes in mid-August 2026, including reduced data retention periods and enhanced search monitoring, though critics like the ACLU remain skeptical.

This citizen-led initiative is part of a growing ecosystem of projects monitoring surveillance technology. Van Pelt emphasizes that addressing Flock is not the ultimate goal but rather a broader examination of mass surveillance infrastructure. The site is supported by donations to the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation.