A Georgia small-business owner, Tyler Murkerson, has initiated a federal lawsuit against Flock Safety and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, alleging that deputies utilized Flock’s automated license plate reader (ALPR) system to conduct unwarranted surveillance in retaliation for a prior lawsuit he filed against the department.
Murkerson’s legal challenges with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office began in February 2023, following an arrest over an alleged seatbelt violation—a charge that was subsequently dropped. In September 2024, he filed a civil rights lawsuit accusing the department of excessive force; this case was settled earlier this year. During the pendency of that lawsuit, Murkerson claims that his vehicle was subjected to multiple searches within Flock’s ALPR system, with deputies entering vague justifications such as “info” and “37” for these searches. He further alleges that deputies physically followed or monitored him during this period.
The lawsuit contends that Flock’s system lacked adequate safeguards to prevent misuse, allowing officers to input arbitrary text as justification for searches without requiring specific case numbers or investigative details. This purported deficiency enabled unauthorized surveillance activities. In response to growing concerns over misuse, Flock announced in August 2026 that it would implement mandatory case codes for all law enforcement searches by the end of the year. Concurrently, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office conducted an internal audit of its use of Flock’s system, resulting in the resignation of three employees before the audit’s completion.
This case underscores broader apprehensions regarding the deployment and oversight of ALPR technologies. Critics argue that without stringent controls, such systems can be exploited for unauthorized surveillance, infringing on individual privacy rights. The outcome of Murkerson’s lawsuit may have significant implications for the regulation and use of surveillance technologies by law enforcement agencies nationwide.