GoKawiil404 Media Seeks Public Help Tracking Axon License Plate Reader Use as Cities Drop Flock
404 Media is asking residents nationwide to submit public records showing how local police departments use Axon's automatic license plate reader cameras, which many cities are adopting after backlash over Flock's role in ICE lookups and a Texas officer's search related to a self-managed abortion. The outlet has already gathered Axon 'activity reports' from six police agencies detailing which officers searched plate data, their badge numbers, and stated justifications, but wants more submissions to map usage nationwide.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
As law enforcement agencies swap one license plate surveillance vendor for another, the underlying privacy risks—unchecked lookups, data sharing with federal agencies, and lack of oversight—may simply migrate rather than disappear. Crowdsourced public records requests have become a critical tool for journalists to expose how these surveillance systems are actually used, since vendors and police departments rarely disclose this information voluntarily.
- Cities are replacing Flock ALPR cameras with Axon's after 404 Media exposed ICE and abortion-related searches.
- 404 Media has obtained Axon activity logs from six agencies and is soliciting more from the public.
- These logs reveal officer names, badge numbers, and reasons for license plate searches, raising accountability questions.
Source: 404media.co — About The Author, 2026-09-21
Published there as: “Help 404 Media Find Out How Your Local Police Are Surveiling You”
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