Kansas Resident Sues to Disable 200-Camera Flock System Over Alleged Warrantless Surveillance

A Wichita resident, Mason Grimmett, has filed a lawsuit against the city, arguing that its 200 Flock Safety cameras enable warrantless surveillance by creating searchable records of vehicle movements without a warrant, probable cause, or judicial oversight. The lawsuit, represented by the Kansas Justice Institute, claims that the cameras photograph and catalog every passing vehicle, potentially infringing on residents’ rights under Section 15 of the Kansas Bill of Rights. Grimmett is seeking a court order to declare the program unconstitutional and remove the cameras. The case has national implications, as a ruling in Grimmett’s favor could provide a legal roadmap for challenging similar automated license-plate reader (ALPR) systems in other states. The lawsuit also highlights concerns over the accuracy of ALPR systems, citing an incident where an innocent couple was stopped multiple times, including once at gunpoint, after the system wrongly flagged their minivan as a stolen pickup truck. The complaint notes that the city’s data can be accessed by virtually every city police officer and hundreds of outside law-enforcement agencies, with no tracking of where the information goes once it is shared. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for the use of ALPR systems in Kansas and beyond.