City Report Finds SFPD Did Not Violate Sanctuary Law on Flock Camera Data
A city report concluded that the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) did not violate sanctuary law concerning out-of-state agencies accessing its Flock camera data. The report did, however, recommend five changes to strengthen oversight of the technology.
San Francisco Oakland San Jose, CA, September 28, 2026 —
A recent city report has concluded that the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) did not violate sanctuary law concerning access to its Flock camera data by out-of-state agencies. The findings were released following a review of the department’s practices.
While the report determined no violation of sanctuary law occurred, it did identify areas for improvement. Specifically, the report recommended five changes aimed at strengthening the oversight mechanisms for the Flock camera technology. The details of these five recommended changes were not provided in the summary information available.
The report’s conclusion addresses concerns regarding the use and sharing of data from Flock cameras, a system that allows law enforcement to capture and search license plate information. The sanctuary law in San Francisco restricts cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and limits the sharing of city resources with federal agencies. The review focused on whether the SFPD’s data-sharing practices with out-of-state agencies complied with these sanctuary provisions.
Information regarding the specific out-of-state agencies that accessed the Flock camera data was not detailed. Similarly, the exact timeline of the review or the specific dates of any data access in question were not provided. The entity that conducted the city report was also not specified.
The SFPD’s use of surveillance technology, including Flock cameras, has been a subject of public discussion and scrutiny. The recommendations for enhanced oversight suggest a continued focus on ensuring transparency and accountability in how such technologies are managed and utilized by the department. The department’s response to the recommendations was not detailed.
Further details concerning the impetus for the report, the precise nature of the sanctuary law in relation to the findings, and the specific amendments proposed to bolster oversight are pending. The report’s findings, however, provide a clear stance on the adherence to sanctuary law concerning the mentioned data access.
Story summarized from the original created by Clara-Sophia Daly and Frankie Solinsky Duryea on missionlocal.org, see more information here.
