CALDWELL, Idaho — A Canyon County resident has filed a tort claim against the City of Caldwell, arguing its Flock Safety camera program violates Idaho privacy law. The claim calls on city leaders to either stop sharing license plate reader data with the company or terminate the contract altogether.
WATCH: Learn more about the tort claim
Resident Tyler Cain filed the claim, which centers on Caldwell's agreement with Flock Safety and how data collected through the city's network of automated license plate reader cameras is used and shared.
"We need rid of this company. They seem to not want to play by Idaho law," Cain said.
The dispute comes nearly three years after Caldwell city leaders approved a contract with Flock Safety in 2023. At the time, Caldwell Police described the cameras as another tool to help solve crimes, locate stolen vehicles, identify suspects and assist in finding missing or endangered people.
Since then, the department has installed more than 40 cameras throughout the city. The cameras capture license plate information and can identify a vehicle's make, model, and color.
Police have previously stated the system does not use facial recognition technology.
Under Idaho law, agencies may use automated license plate readers for law enforcement purposes and traffic flow analysis.
The law allows the data to be used in investigations of felony and misdemeanor crimes, traffic accidents and to search for missing or endangered persons. Additionally, the law outlines that agencies are to limit access to authorized personnel and prohibits the use of the data for personal, political, or other non-law-enforcement purposes.
Cain argues the issue is not the cameras themselves, but what happens to the data after it is collected.
"Flock's contract with the city is allowing Flock… to use the data to improve their product and services," Cain said, "Our data has gone from helping solve a crime to making us the product."
According to the claim, Cain believes portions of Caldwell's agreement with Flock Safety allow the company to use information collected through the system in ways that exceed the uses specifically outlined in Idaho law.
He also raised concerns about changes to the contract's language regarding data sales.
"To say they can't sell data. Now they removed that. Could they? Yes," Cain said.
The claim asks the city to either stop sharing license plate reader data with Flock Safety or end its agreement with the company altogether.
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Flock Safety has previously said it limits what information is collected, who can access it and how long it is retained.
The company maintains that its technology is designed to help law enforcement agencies investigate crimes while protecting individual privacy.
Caldwell Police have also emphasized that access to the system is restricted to authorized personnel and that license plate data is automatically deleted after 30 days unless it is tied to an active investigation.
The debate over automated license plate readers has continued to grow nationwide as more communities adopt the technology.
Supporters argue that the systems provide investigators with valuable leads and help recover stolen vehicles and locate suspects more quickly. Critics, however, question how long information is stored, who has access to it, and whether private companies should have any role in managing data collected from the public.
The City of Caldwell says it cannot comment on pending litigation but provided a statement saying it takes its obligations regarding privacy, data management and compliance with applicable laws seriously.
The issue has also drawn attention from Caldwell Mayor Eric Phillips, who has publicly expressed concerns about the Flock Safety program and its potential impact on residents' privacy.
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