“Darth Vader” comes out in favor of Flock cameras at San Diego city council meeting
The dark lord – or someone dressed like him – said the technology would aid the empire in tracking ‘rebel scum’
TL;DR
- A man dressed as Darth Vader attended a San Diego public safety committee meeting, seemingly endorsing Flock Safety automated license plate readers while highlighting privacy concerns.
- The impersonator suggested the technology could be used for nefarious purposes, such as tracking children or former partners.
- Flock Safety promotes its technology for law enforcement, but has faced scrutiny due to instances of misuse, including a deputy using the system to track his ex-fiancee and a man wrongly linked to a carjacking.
- As of August 2026, approximately 100 municipalities have stopped using Flock's services.
- Some individuals have resorted to damaging Flock cameras, with one case in Ohio resulting in a grand jury declining to indict.
- Flock Safety announced new policies in August, including an audit assistance feature, but legal experts question their effectiveness.