Boulder Residents Challenge City's Flock Safety Cameras as Unconstitutional Surveillance

A legal challenge in Boulder, Colorado questions whether Flock Safety surveillance cameras violate residents' constitutional rights by cataloging their movements without warrants. Two residents filed a class-action complaint in Boulder District Court arguing that 31 cameras deployed throughout the city create dragnet surveillance that captures the movements of innocent people alongside crime suspects. The lawsuit represents an escalation in national debates over police surveillance technology and data privacy protections.

The Legal Challenge

The plaintiffs argue that Boulder's Flock camera network provides law enforcement with broad access to records tracking drivers and cyclists across the city—a capability that exceeds constitutional authority under Colorado law. Attorney Andy McNulty, representing the residents, stated that the system treats every neighborhood as a checkpoint, subjecting 99 percent of surveilled individuals to tracking despite their uninvolvement in criminal activity.

The complaint names Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn and Dawn VanAckeren, supervisor of records and information services, as defendants. One plaintiff, William Freeman, had previously requested records related to the camera system, which the city denied. The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the cameras unconstitutional and prevent their continued operation without warrant requirements.

City Response and Broader Questions

Boulder city officials acknowledged the litigation, stating they will present their arguments through court filings and hearings. The city has not yet detailed its defense of the system publicly. Notably, Flock's national database allowed more than 3,000 law enforcement agencies across the country to search the department's license plate records for over three years, according to information cited in the lawsuit. This interconnected access expanded the reach of Boulder's cameras far beyond the city itself.

In response to community objections about Flock specifically, Boulder opened a bidding process in March inviting alternative license plate reader vendors to submit proposals. The city set a deadline of mid-June to select vendors for a pilot program, indicating uncertainty about continuing its relationship with Flock Safety.