Costa Mesa Mayor John Stephens admitted that “virtually 100%” of residents in his city have voiced opposition to retaining Flock Safety cameras, urging the city council to eliminate them. “I don’t think that I’ve ever in 10 years had an item that’s come before us where virtually 100% of the people gave the same position on it,” Stephens said, emphasizing that even those who participated via email shared this stance.
He expressed concern about residents stating that Flock cameras have eroded trust in the police department. Despite this overwhelming public sentiment, the city council voted 6-1 to extend a three-year agreement with Atlanta-based Flock Safety, which expires in April 2027. The decision included proposals to renegotiate terms for stronger city control over how camera data is shared and distributed.
The move drew strong criticism from “DeFlockers,” who rallied outside City Hall ahead of the council meeting and remained overnight to protest the outcome. Amy Stevens, a local organizer with the OC Indivisible Coalition, called the decision “disappointing but not altogether unexpected,” adding that it would only intensify efforts to challenge the cameras.
During four hours of testimony, only one comment from former Costa Mesa Police Chief Ron Lawrence supported keeping Flock, while dozens spoke against its deployment. Company representatives were absent during proceedings. The city’s contract covers 46 devices, with $151,800 paid annually by the city and another $15,000 from a state retail theft grant.
City police confirmed that Flock cameras monitor vehicle entry and exit points, read license plates, and cross-reference data with law enforcement databases—though they stress all searches require a legitimate law enforcement purpose and undergo weekly audits for misuse. Police Chief Joyce LaPointe acknowledged concerns about privacy, surveillance, and data retention but reiterated that the system does not capture names, images, or personal information of drivers, nor is it deployed in parks. Approximately 170 city employees, primarily sworn officers, have access to the cameras.
