Ban Flock License Plate Readers in Topeka
The Issue
Flock Cameras do not only track suspected criminals, but every vehicle that passes them. There have been reports of police using flock cameras to stalk or track people for personal reasons in Milwaukee, San Jose, Illinois, Oshkosh, Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Fort Collins, Oklahoma City, and Pflugerville. Just in Kansas, flock cameras have been abused by Kechi Police Department, Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick Police Department, and Lenexa Police Department. One report stated that an officer used Flock 164 times to track his ex-girlfriend and 64 times to track her new boyfriend. If this many trained, trusted officers abuse Flock routinely, there is no reason to believe Topeka would be any different.
And just when you thought that this was all there was, flock cameras have recently become fully equipped to track all phones, air pods, and smartwatches thanks to signal trace. "SignalTrace enables Flock cameras to sweep up unique identifiers of mobile phones, wearables, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, to develop profiles tied to individual vehicles. An electronic fingerprint it you will, tying every device you own (or are frequently near) to one singular identity" (Latest in Cyber. 2026, June 26).
The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution states:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized"
Cameras that record vehicle's movement and identification 24/7 without any consent, criminal record, or criminal susception is a violation to this amendment. We don't need more rules about how flock can be used, we need a ban to protect the rightful privacy of upstanding citizens. A ban is the only fix.
These are the demands that we stand for:
- The City Council shall pass an ordinance banning the Topeka Police Department from purchasing, leasing, or using automated license plate reader cameras.
- Any existing ALPR cameras shall be removed within 90 days of the ordinance passing.
- No city funds shall be used for ALPR technology in the future.
We call on the City Council to place this ordinance on the agenda for a public hearing within 60 days.
Lets reach 500 signatures together.
73
The Issue
Flock Cameras do not only track suspected criminals, but every vehicle that passes them. There have been reports of police using flock cameras to stalk or track people for personal reasons in Milwaukee, San Jose, Illinois, Oshkosh, Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Fort Collins, Oklahoma City, and Pflugerville. Just in Kansas, flock cameras have been abused by Kechi Police Department, Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick Police Department, and Lenexa Police Department. One report stated that an officer used Flock 164 times to track his ex-girlfriend and 64 times to track her new boyfriend. If this many trained, trusted officers abuse Flock routinely, there is no reason to believe Topeka would be any different.
And just when you thought that this was all there was, flock cameras have recently become fully equipped to track all phones, air pods, and smartwatches thanks to signal trace. "SignalTrace enables Flock cameras to sweep up unique identifiers of mobile phones, wearables, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, to develop profiles tied to individual vehicles. An electronic fingerprint it you will, tying every device you own (or are frequently near) to one singular identity" (Latest in Cyber. 2026, June 26).
The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution states:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized"
Cameras that record vehicle's movement and identification 24/7 without any consent, criminal record, or criminal susception is a violation to this amendment. We don't need more rules about how flock can be used, we need a ban to protect the rightful privacy of upstanding citizens. A ban is the only fix.
These are the demands that we stand for:
- The City Council shall pass an ordinance banning the Topeka Police Department from purchasing, leasing, or using automated license plate reader cameras.
- Any existing ALPR cameras shall be removed within 90 days of the ordinance passing.
- No city funds shall be used for ALPR technology in the future.
We call on the City Council to place this ordinance on the agenda for a public hearing within 60 days.
Lets reach 500 signatures together.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on August 5, 2026