This story is produced from an episode of KVPR’s Central Valley Daily podcast. Listen to all episodes here, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you have a story idea, email podcast@kvpr.org.
FRESNO, Calif. – Automated License Plate Recognition or ALPR technology has been around for decades. But a new AI-powered version made by a company called Flock Safety is raising major privacy concerns.
In the city of Fresno, 70 such cameras are installed at locations that are designated as “high crime.” Earlier in July, the Fresno Police Department held a community forum to speak directly with residents about these privacy issues.
At the Ted C. Wills community center north of downtown Fresno, Alfred Aldrete, a community activist with the group “Fresno Resistance,” stood under the blistering sun holding a giant sign with a message against Flock cameras.
“We are here in response to the citizens of Fresno's concerns over mass surveillance here in the city with these flock cameras, the abuse of these cameras by not only the police, by other individuals,” he told Central Valley Daily producer Jonathan Linden.
Aldrete has been outspoken against the camera system. That night, he was joined by dozens of others inside the community center, where metal folding chairs were spread out across the gymnasium.
Community advocates and concerned citizens voiced their concerns over how the technology from Flock Safety would use and store their personal information.
One resident said, “Surveillance does not equal safety.”
Another stated, “I'm afraid of what this could cause for all of us, whether it be you folks, myself, or the sheriff's department. Nobody needs to be put in harm's [way] over mass surveillance.”
Fresno police chief Mindy Casto was on a stage addressing the audience. She was flanked by three other department leaders.
“I just want to make sure I have an opportunity to get some facts out. Most certainly, to try to clear up any misconceptions you may have, and you still might leave here obviously not in agreement, but I want to hear you out. I don't want to be the one up here talking all the time,” she told the crowd.
Before the community event, Central Valley Daily host Soreath Hok spoke to Chief Mindy Casto one-on-one about the department’s use of these controversial cameras.
Casto addressed some pressing community concerns, including who can access the data that’s captured. Below are five takeaways from the interview:
1. When did the Fresno Police Department begin using license plate readers and who decides on the contracts?
Chief Mindy Casto said the police department has used some versions of license plate readers since before 2015. It wasn’t always “automatic” plate readers, but the technology has evolved over time. Casto said previously, license plate readers were “mobile,” meaning they were placed in patrol vehicles. In 2024, under a contract entered into by the city of Fresno with Flock Safety, the department began using the “fixed” cameras that are mounted along poles and seen in public today. The fixed cameras are placed in areas where the department has identified high crime activity. The current Flock contract expires in March 2027 and is covered by a state grant. Parameters of the contract are negotiated between Flock and elected officials in Fresno.
2. What does the police chief say about balancing safety and freedom?
Chief Casto emphasized the department is trying to balance residents' “concerns about liberty,” with the need to provide security in the city. Casto said the department has safeguards in place which include: keeping data from automatic license plate readers for 30 days, training officers in how to use the data before they get it, and auditing the use of the cameras. Part of the balance, Casto said, is having written agreements in place with other police agencies about how to use the data.
3. What do Flock cameras capture?
Chief Casto said the cameras currently in use in the city have a capacity to capture close detail of vehicles. They capture things such as the image and characters of the license plate, the color and make and model of the car, and any damage to the car.
4. How does the Fresno police department handle Flock camera data sharing?
Flock camera data can be accessed by any department in California that has a written agreement with the Fresno police department, according to Chief Casto. A database allows agencies to search for information about a vehicle related to a crime, including a missing person’s case. The department does not share data with agencies outside of California, including with immigration authorities, Casto added, since California prohibits agencies from working with federal immigration agencies.
5. Has technology helped reduce crime in the city?
Chief Casto said using technology like the Flock cameras has helped reduce crime in the city. She shared some statistics with Central Valley Daily, including that the camera technology has helped solve 70 percent of the city’s murders so far in 2026. She said the faster police can solve a violent crime, the lesser the chance for retaliatory violence.
