u/MetallicTaco07

Right now, a private company is photographing every car that drives through Rio Rancho. No warrant. No suspicion. No public vote.

Rio Rancho signed a $78k deal with Flock Safety in September 2024... and most residents have no idea.

You have the chance, and the right to go on record, to speak out this Thursday, August 13th, when the Rio Rancho Governing Body meets.

Here's exactly how to make your voice count this Thursday, Aug. 13th.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Rio Rancho does NOT have an online sign-up. This is in-person registration only, with the City Clerk, and the deadline is 5:45 PM before the 6 PM meeting.

Option 1: Show up to Rio Rancho City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle NE) on August 13th by 5:45 PM and register to speak.

Option 2: Can't make it? Submit a written comment to the City Clerk before 4:00 PM on August 13th. It goes on the official public record. clerk@rrnm.gov.

Option 3: Do both. Double your footprint.

You have up to two minutes to make your voice heard!

Can't make it Thursday? Send this email before 4:00 PM on August 13th. It goes on the official public record. Use the same email as your public comment if you decide to go in person.

Copy and paste the email in the comments.

Find your council member's contact at rrnm.gov... or DM us and we'll help you find it.

The Rio Rancho Governing Body is the city's elected legislative branch... 6 council members elected by district, plus a full-time mayor elected city-wide. They set policy, approve budgets, and sign contracts. Including the Flock Safety contract. Which they signed in September 2024. WITHOUT a public vote.

In September 2024, the city quietly approved a two-year, $78,000 contract with Flock Safety...that's $39,000 a year for 13 cameras...of your money.

But here's what the press release didn't say:

• Flock receives a permanent license to use Rio Rancho residents' data to train their AI. Forever.

• The contract auto-renews every year....the city has just 30 days to opt out or it rolls over automatically.

• The cameras build a "Vehicle Fingerprint™" on your car: make, model, color, bumper stickers, even parking decals.

You didn't vote on this. You weren't asked. And it renews automatically unless someone pushes back. That someone can be you. This Thursday.

We want to be clear about what we're asking for if our main goal of removal isn't met. This is basic.

• A warrant before law enforcement accesses stored data on innocent people

• A 14-day limit on how long your movement history can be kept

• An independent annual security audit: Flock's own software has a documented critical vulnerability

• Quarterly public reports on how the data is actually being used

These cameras are a constant infringement of your 4th amendment

Left, right, or neither...if you believe the government should have to justify tracking you, this is your issue too.

Thursday. August 13th @ 6 PM. Rio Rancho City Hall.

Your 2 minutes could be the ones that matter.

[Source: @DeFlockNM, Instagram/Facebook]

The Bernalillo County Commission is holding a public comment meeting Tuesday, August 11th at 5:00 PM. You can speak in person, leave a written comment online, or do both. Every name on record makes this harder to ignore.

Sign up to speak or leave a comment via the website. (Sign-up closes at 3:00 PM the day of the meeting. DONT WAIT.)

[Source: @DeFlockNewMexico, Instagram]

When I posted this a few weeks ago, I honestly wasn't sure how many people would care. You proved me wrong. We've hit 2,500 signatures, and the conversations in the comments have made this campaign sharper and more urgent than when it started. Thank you.

Just a little update on the information uncovered:

The original post focused on license plate readers and our 4th amendment….and that's still the core issue. But alot of your comments have helped uncover something bigger.

APD runs a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC): a 24/7 live surveillance hub that goes far beyond plate readers. The city ran a grant program that paid businesses up to $20,000 to install cameras…. on the condition that those cameras feed live video directly to APD, around the clock. There is no public list of who accepted the grant. There is no map of where those cameras are. APD has never disclosed how long that footage is kept or who can access it.

License plate readers track your car. These cameras track you….your face, who you're with, what you're doing on a public sidewalk. One resident documented nearly a dozen of these grant-model cameras on a single block of 2nd Street between Lead and Coal. This does not qualify as targeted crime response. It's area-wide, persistent, live monitoring of everyday people… with no warrant requirement, no retention limit, and no public oversight.

When community members submitted formal questions to APD through established channels asking about data storage, security patches, and retention policies… APD either refused to answer or responded to a completely different question. Stonewalling public info requests is not transparency. And it's exactly why voluntary compliance isn't enough.

We're looking to work with those that have power to create legislation. Currently have a meeting scheduled with Harold Pope, as he is part of the Science, Technology, and Telecommunications Committee. We're working to build support for a possible proposal of legislation that would:

-Require a warrant before law enforcement searches location data (the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 29, 2026 in Chatrie v. United States that warrantless access to historical location data is unconstitutional)

-Cap data retention at 30 days maximum

Mandate independent annual security audits with public results

-Require quarterly public reporting on how the systems are being used

This can be framed as "SB40 Part 2." SB40 was a step forward: it banned sharing ALPR data for immigration enforcement and reproductive healthcare tracking. But it left the door wide open on warrants, retention, and security. It also exempted ALPR data from public records requests entirely, meaning you can no longer check whether the rules are even being followed. This bill closes those gaps.

Our initial goal remains full removal. This legislation sets the accountability floor while that fight continues.

Please join the 2500+ in dissent by signing and sharing. We need all the support we can get.

https://c.org/hTjHjRtwFC

Investigative Journalists Tommy G and Benn Jordan delve into the company, find they don't like to be watched and cover the arguments for and the many arguments against

https://youtu.be/S3MQLlMbS-Y?is=UJKn99\_chrTqMSLU

Over 1,600 Albuquerque residents have signed a petition calling for the removal of unaccountable surveillance cameras operated by APD and the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. We've submitted questions thru Indivisible group in ABQ to Mayor Keller's staff and asked whether a critical 9.8/10 security vulnerability in APD's surveillance system has been patched...they refused to confirm it. A county deputy was already caught misusing the system. A Texas sheriff used New Mexico camera data to track a woman who obtained legal healthcare in this state. As of July 1st, residents can no longer even request their own location data under SB40. We're asking for your support in demanding a public hearing, an independent security audit, and ultimately the removal of this infrastructure from our community

I have seen that many have had some pushback on these, so I created a few graphics to help anyone encountering these detractors. Each graphic is for typical responses that has come up. Im sure there are more, but this is what I have created for now.

Please share and educate! The more signatures the better.

https://c.org/mGcyVxgB84

EDIT: ADDED UPDATED PERSONAL ACTIONS AND OUTCOME

Right now, cameras across Albuquerque are photographing your license plate every time you drive past one.....logging your location, your route, and the time. This happens automatically, without a warrant, without your knowledge, and without your consent.

APD stores that data for 365 days. That means a year-long record of where you drove, when, and how often. You are not a suspect. You were never asked.

This is not a hypothetical risk. Misuse has already happened here. A BCSO deputy was caught misusing the system. His punishment: a written reprimand. No policy changed. No camera came down.

Your data could be shared with agencies outside NM, as a TX sheriff used plate reader data to track a woman who sought legal reproductive healthcare in another state. NM drivers' data sits in the same kind of system: accessible to out-of-state law enforcement with a simple request.

The technology itself is not secure.

In 2025, a critical 9.8 out of 10 security vulnerability was publicly disclosed in the platform APD uses. The city has never publicly confirmed whether it was patched.

And as of July 1, 2026, you can no longer check. NM's SB40 reclassified license plate reader data as a non-public record. You can no longer request your own location history. There is no public oversight committee. There is no audit trail available to residents.

We are not asking for better rules. We are asking for removal.

We call on the Mayor, City Council, and County Commission to:

-Deactivate and remove all ALPR infrastructure operated by APD and BCSO

-Hold a public committee hearing before any future surveillance contract is signed

-Release an independent security audit of all data collected to date

-Restore transparency by allowing residents to request their own location data

Denver did it. Austin did it. Nearly 30 cities across the country have walked back automated license plate surveillance in the last two years. Albuquerque can too.....but only if residents demand it.

Sign this petition and share it with your neighbors.

https://c.org/mGcyVxgB84

Right now, cameras across Albuquerque are photographing your license plate every time you drive past one.... logging your location, your route, and the time. This happens automatically, without a warrant, without your knowledge, and without your consent.

APD stores that data for 365 days. That means a year-long record of where you drove, when, and how often. You are not a suspect. You were never asked.

This is not a hypothetical risk, misuse has already happened here. A BCSO deputy was caught misusing the system. His punishment was just a written reprimand. No policy changed. No camera came down. Nothing brought to light until information was requested by journalists.

Your data could be shared with agencies outside New Mexico. A TX sheriff used plate reader data to track a woman who sought legal reproductive healthcare in another state. NM drivers' data sits in the same kind of system: accessible to out-of-state law enforcement with a simple request.

The technology itself proves is not secure. In 2025, a critical 9.8 out of 10 security vulnerability was publicly disclosed in the platform APD uses. The city has never publicly confirmed whether it was patched.

And as of July 1, 2026, you can no longer check. New Mexico's SB40 reclassified license plate reader data as a non-public record. You can no longer request your own location history. There is no public oversight committee. There is no audit trail available to residents.

We are not asking for better rules. We are asking for removal.

We call on the Mayor, City Council, and County Commission to:

-Deactivate and remove all ALPR infrastructure operated by APD and BCSO

-Hold a public committee hearing before any future surveillance contract is signed

-Release an independent security audit of all data collected to date

-Restore transparency by allowing residents to request their own location data

Denver did it. Austin did it. Nearly 30 cities across the country have walked back automated license plate surveillance in the last two years. Albuquerque can too ....but only if residents demand it.

Sign this petition and share it with your neighbors. https://c.org/mGcyVxgB84

EDIT:added link

For anyone keeping up with the Flock situation:

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In doing more research about these things, I was offered these articles. Turns out ALPRs are just the tip of the ICEberg. They want to track, smart watches, Bluetooth, infotainment systems in vehicles, and even your pets microchips. We need to take a stand against Big Brother!

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https://www.404media.co/this-company-will-add-phone-airpod-and-smartwatch-trackers-to-license-plate-readers/

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https://www.thedrive.com/news/license-plate-cameras-will-soon-track-phones-wearables-infotainment-and-even-your-pets

UPDATE

I wanted to give a quick update to everyone who reached out after my last post. I met with Councilor Champine yesterday about ABQ's ALPR surveillance system (just a reminder: the 250+ fixed cameras that log and store our vehicle's location data for a full year). He was respectful, genuinely willing to listen, and I came away feeling like the meeting accomplished something small but real, even if it wasn't everything I hoped for. I feel the most important thing I learned is that removing or reforming these cameras isnt within the City Council's authority... that power sits with the mayor's office and APD.

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Champine admitted he was not previously aware of the security vulnerabilities documented by independent researchers, the confirmed cases of officer misuse and Flock employee access to live feeds, or the fact that SB40 (which goes in effect July 1st) will specifically block residents from making public records requests for their own location data. He took the materials I left, said he'd look into several questions, and I'm taking him at his word while I continue to pursue. This doesnt end with one meeting. The next step is Mayor Keller's office, since the administration controls APD policy directly: the decisions about how long your data is stored, who can access it, and whether any real oversight exists belong to them, not the Council. I'll be reaching out this week, and I'll share a template for anyone who wants to do the same.

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That's where I'd ask for your help. The more Albuquerque residents who bring this to their councilor and to the mayor's office, the harder it is to quietly set aside. You don't need to be an expert, I sure am not. A short, direct message saying you're aware of the issue and expect a public hearing is enough. I can provide talking points for anyone who wants them.

​

If you have a personal experience with this system: a wrongful stop, a plate misread, cameras appearing in your neighborhood without any community notice... I'd still like to hear from you. Documented personal accounts carry weight that research alone doesn't. Feel free to comment, send a direct message, or share this post with anyone who might want to get involved.

New Mexico peeps... I’m increasingly concerned about the rapid spread of automatic license plate reader cameras (mostly referred to as “Flock” or ALPR) around town: intersections, neighborhood entrances, mall entrances, and bigbox store parking lots. Whatever your politics, I think we should demand basic transparency and limits:

Who owns/operates the cameras (City/APD vs. private property)?

Whats the retention period for plate data and images?

Who has access, and is access logged and audited?

What data is shared with other agencies or third parties?

What are the approved use cases and oversight?

I’m writing my City Councilor asking for an oversight hearing and public records (contracts/MOUs, policies, locations, retention, sharing, audits, stats). I will post my email in the comments if you wish to do the same.

If youre curious about the tech/security side, here’s a video, by journalist Benn Jordan, that raised questions for me (judge for yourself): https://youtu.be/uB0gr7Fh6lY

Call City Council Services to reach your local councilor.