Dozens of innocent motorists have been pulled over, detained at gunpoint, or jailed due to AI license plate camera errors
Institute for Justice · July 1, 2026 · United States
IJ reviewed media and court records and found at least 27 ALPR-error cases since 2018, most since 2023: wrongful stops, gunpoint detentions, and at least one arrest after bad plate data. Later IJ materials put the tally around two dozen-plus, with guns drawn in a majority of reviewed cases.
Why it is in the file
The error-to-force cite. Pair with EFF's case list. Do not inflate past IJ's count; 'at least 27 since 2018, majority since 2023' is the load-bearing line.
Related in the file
As officers face misuse allegations, police departments rethink Flock cameras
NBC Boston · 2026-08-22
Palo Alto prepares to audit Flock camera system amid questions over data access
NBC Bay Area · 2026-08-22
Norfolk taxpayers pay $430K a year for Flock camera subscriptions, according to the city
13newsnow.com · 2026-08-21
Davidson County authorities make case ahead of vote on Flock Camera usage, mixed reactions
WXLV · 2026-08-21
Conroe police investigate alleged threats against city officials following Flock camera vote
ABC13 Houston · 2026-08-21