What is Flock? An introduction to the technology surveilling the Morongo Basin
Over the past two years, the terms “Flock” and “Flock cameras” have increasingly become a part of the community vocabulary throughout the Morongo Basin.
The terms refer to the company Flock Safety, a technology company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Flock Safety builds hardware and artificial intelligence-powered software that they promote as tools for public safety purposes, used by law enforcement, neighborhood associations, and private businesses. In addition to technology traditionally associated with security, such as video cameras and audio detection sensors, Flock Safety also advertises more advanced options, including mobile security trailers and drones.
Flock Safety’s most widely used product is their solar-powered Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), which are currently used in over 6,000 communities across the country. These devices are typically positioned at multiple points throughout major vehicular intersections and capture still images of the rear of passing vehicles. Identifying information is then analyzed by the system, including the car make, model, color, license plate number, and any notable identifying details, such as damage or bumper stickers, as well as the vehicle’s location and direction of travel at any specific date and time.
This data is stored on the Amazon Web Services cloud for a default of 30 days, during which identifying details can be used by the system owner as data points to search for a specific vehicle within a time window. The company maintains that facial recognition technology is not used to identify any drivers or passengers in passing vehicles, and that the data is not used to enforce traffic laws such as speeding or red lights.
Flock Safety cameras already in use in the hi-desert
In December 2024, the City of Twentynine Palms signed a two-year contract with Flock Safety for the installation and upkeep of 31 ALPRs, and the Town of Yucca Valley signed a contract for 20 ALPRs in August 2025, with data retention increased from the default to one year. Flock ALPRs have since been installed at multiple angles at major intersections along Highway 62 in both municipalities, as well as along Adobe Road in Twentynine Palms, which local law enforcement says they use when searching for specific vehicles suspected of criminal involvement. The devices can also be found on intersections near Tortoise Rock Casino and Home Depot.
The local governments and law enforcement have maintained that the Flock ALPRs will be used to improve public safety throughout the Morongo Basin. At a Yucca Valley Town Council meeting in 2025, Lieutenant Al Huff of the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station explained that the Flock system in Riverside County was utilized to locate the driver of a fatal hit-and-run collision the year before.
Since its installation, the Sheriff’s Department has continued touting the technology by sending out press releases highlighting the usage of Flock in locating suspects of specific crimes in the hi-desert, including a sex offence, a domestic violence case, and another fatal hit-and-run.
Citizens opposed to the tech are speaking up
Public comment periods at municipal meetings have frequently been swamped with citizens voicing concerns that the technology is excessive mass surveillance, often requesting that Flock be added to a future meeting agenda for a larger community discussion.
Points raised include that the technology captures images of passing vehicles whether or not they are suspected of involvement in a crime, and that law enforcement can access the data system without a warrant. Residents have also voiced qualms about the logistics and security of where and how long the data is stored, who can access it, and the marketing language used by the Sheriff’s Department to promote the technology.
Citizen concerns over the surveillance technology coincide with an increased presence of ICE and Border Patrol in California, and opposition to Flock has prompted the creation of local resistance groups, events, and petitions.
The City of Twentynine Palms’ contract with Flock Safety was set to expire in December of this year, though its expiration date has since been pushed to the second quarter of 2027.
The Town of Yucca Valley’s contract with the technology company is also set to expire in August of 2027.
Community discussion continues
Twentynine Palms Mayor Pro Tem Octavius Scott is hosting a roundtable on Flock and its role in the community on Thursday, July 9, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Twentynine Palms City Hall.
The Twentynine Palms City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, and the Yucca Valley Town Council meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. Both meetings have public comment periods where anyone can comment on matters than concern them.
