What the Flock is Going On?

On October 4, 2025 three people died in a deadly hit and run crash on Interstate 4 in Volusia County, Florida. The suspect was driving a Dodge Durango, the same make and model of the car 23-year-old Lindsey Isaacs was driving about three miles ahead of the crash when it occurred on Interstate 4.

In the early morning, just hours after the crash, Florida Highway Patrol officers arrived at Isaacs’ apartment after visiting her parents home where her vehicle was registered to. The officers accused her of being the suspect in the deadly crash and took her vehicle as evidence.

Months later, in April, a warrant was issued for Isaacs’ arrest. Isaacs turned herself in and spent 13 days in jail. For the first three days, Isaacs was kept in solitary confinement due to the severity of her charges. For the remaining ten days, Isaacs was placed in the jail’s maximum-security block before her attorney was able to secure her release with evidence proving that Isaacs was not the suspect in the deadly hit and run.

So, what evidence led officers to wrongfully arrest Isaacs and incarcerate her for 13 days?

Following the crash on Interstate 4, Florida Highway Patrol searched a database of Flock cameras located near the scene of the crash for a Dodge Durango. Officers found Isaacs’ car and labeled her a suspect with only that information.

This is the problem with Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) like Flock cameras: they’re not just tracking criminals. They’re tracking all of us, ignoring our Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

It’s true that ALPRs can help law enforcement track down real criminals, but I don’t believe mass surveillance is worth giving up our constitutional rights.

Here’s my plan to protect our Fourth Amendment rights:

1. The People Decide

   Mandate that local governments and other municipalities put the installation of ALPRs up to a vote of the people. The decision of whether or not to give up constitutional rights is a big one and we should treat it as such.

2. Get a Warrant

   In nearly every other instance of the government wanting to search for and obtain evidence in a criminal investigation, they must get a warrant signed by a judge. We should not treat information collected by an ALPR any differently.

3. Strict Data Retention

   ALPRs like Flock cameras track everyone, not just those who are being sought after bylaw enforcement. If an ALPR is installed, it should only store information of the vehicles that come back as a hit. The government should not be able to build a database of law-abiding Americans.

4. No Federal Funding
   The federal government should have no part in supporting the installation of mass surveillance technology.

In 1776, we said no to tyranny by the British government. 250 years later, we need to go back to our revolutionary roots and say no to tyranny by big tech and AI.