Costa Mesa Council Keeps 46 Flock Cameras in 6-1 Vote as Misuse Spurs Contract Rewrite
Updated
Updated · Voice of OC · Jul 23
Costa Mesa Council Keeps 46 Flock Cameras in 6-1 Vote as Misuse Spurs Contract Rewrite
3 articles · Updated · Voice of OC · Jul 23
Summary
Costa Mesa’s City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday to keep Flock’s 46 license-plate reader cameras operating while staff renegotiate contract terms before the deal expires in April 2027.
Privacy concerns drove the review after former officer Robert Jay Josett pleaded guilty in April to misdemeanors tied to improperly using police databases and Flock data to stalk women and romantic rivals.
Council members asked staff to tighten data-use rules and consider cutting retention from 365 days to 45 days; the issue is expected to return in October or November, and some members said they could still cancel the contract.
Police said about 170 Costa Mesa employees can access the system and cited public-safety gains from July 2025 to July 2026, including 20 recovered stolen vehicles, three missing people found and 10 sexual-assault cases solved.