DC Police investigate 2 potential cases of Flock camera misuse amid councilmember's concerns
Flock Camera
WASHINGTON - The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating two potential cases of misuse of its Flock license plate reader cameras.
What we know:
The probes come amid nationwide and local concerns about privacy and data access for the technology.
The investigations were revealed in a letter from MPD Interim Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll to D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto. The letter was sent in response to questions Pinto submitted on September 14 regarding the department’s use of Flock cameras.
According to the letter, one instance of potential misuse was flagged by Flock’s auditing tool. The Flock system does not automatically flag misuse, according to Carroll. However, it does flag activity for further review, like when a user runs a license plate multiple times or for longer than 30 days.
Under MPD policy, which was updated in April 2026, license plate reader inquiries are only allowed if the user has a legal basis or reasonable suspicion of involvement in a crime, if the information is relevant and if the user has an official reason for making a request.
The department has operated a license plate reader program for more than a decade, and Flock cameras were deployed in the District in 2025, according to Carroll.
In response to oversight concerns, MPD eliminated outside agency access to its license plate reader data and launched an internal audit into Flock usage. The results of the ongoing audit are expected later this year, Carroll said.
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Carroll’s letter also addressed a grievance filed by the D.C. Police Union regarding the use of a Flock camera during an Internal Affairs investigation into a union member’s conduct. Carroll denied the union’s claims of improper use by management and defended MPD’s actions, saying the use was appropriate because the alleged misconduct was potentially criminal in nature.
What they're saying:
"The DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has a stringent policy regarding the use of license plate reader (LPR) technology that was updated in April 2026," MPD said in a statement. "The DC Police Union has filed a grievance against the DC Metropolitan Police Department about the use of [License Plate Readers] in an Internal Affairs investigation into the misconduct of a union member. The Department’s position is that the use of LPR in the misconduct investigation was appropriate. This grievance involves a union matter, and it will be resolved through arbitration between MPD and the DC Police Union."
"The public deserves to know how technology is being used in our communities — what role it plays in crime fighting efforts and how civil liberties are being protected," Pinto said in a social media post.
The Source: Information in this article is from Metropolitan Police Department Interim Chief Jeffrey Carroll.