‘A Climate of Fear and Mistrust’: Petition Urges Humboldt Sheriff, Board of Supervisors to Cancel Flock Safety Contract Amid Privacy Concerns | Lost Coast Outpost
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2026/may/29/flock-petition/
Publish Date: 2026-05-29 14:10:00
Source Domain: lostcoastoutpost.com
An automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera. | Image courtesy Flock Safety.
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A petition making the rounds on social media is calling on the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office to end its contract with Flock Safety and remove all automated license plate-reading (ALPR) cameras from the county’s jurisdiction.
The petition — linked here — argues that the ALPR cameras “raise significant privacy concerns” and contribute “to a climate of fear and mistrust.” As of this writing, the petition has garnered 732 signatures.
“We have the power to protect our communities’ privacy while still ensuring their safety,” the petition states. “Instead of relying on invasive technologies, we should advocate for community-based safety programs, engagement with residents, and invest in smart city planning that encourages transparency and accountability.”
The push to remove Flock cameras comes several months after an Outpost investigation revealed that the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office had allowed outside law enforcement agencies to conduct hundreds of thousands of monthly searches through the county’s ALPR data, often without obtaining legally required information for the search.
Data logs reviewed by the Outpost last year revealed that hundreds of searches by local and state law enforcement agencies referenced federal agencies, including Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is a direct violation of SB 34. (A CalMatters investigation found that the law is routinely violated by law enforcement agencies across the state.)
Sheriff William Honsal tells the Outpost that its data is now shared with only a small subset of police departments that use the Flock system. See his response to the Outpost’s questions, below.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office implemented the county’s ALPR program in April 2024, which consists of eight “full-time” cameras and two portable “flex” ALPR cameras…
