Rep. Sykes Introduces Legislation to Stop Law Enforcement Officers from Abusing Flock Cameras

October 22, 2026 Rep. Sykes Introduces Legislation to Stop Law Enforcement Officers from Abusing Flock Cameras WASHINGTON, D.C . — U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) introduced the Law Enforcement Accountability for Plate Reader Abuse (LEAP) Act to protect victims whose safety is put in jeopardy by law enforcement officials abuse of Flock cameras. According to the Washington Post , at least 50 law enforcement officials have been accused or charged with misusing Flock cameras or similar tools, with more than half of those incidents involving surveillance of romantic partners. This bill holds state and local law enforcement agencies accountable for misuse of Flock cameras and other automated license plate reader (ALPR) technologies by their officers. If a state or local police department is receiving any funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant or the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, they must report to the Attorney General of the United States, if there is any misuse of the Flock cameras and what corrective measures were taken. As a condition of receiving funds, departments will be required to submit this information and submit to random audits from the Office of the Inspector General. If there are no corrective measures taken or there's a repeat offense, then the state or local department could lose 10% of their funding under these federal grant programs. If data is reported inaccurately, then the department could lose 15% of their funding. “Law enforcement officials are trusted members of our communities. Abuse of Flock cameras and similar tools by law enforcement officers to stalk victims without their knowledge will not be tolerated,” said Rep. Sykes. “I introduced this legislation to protect victims whose safety has been put in jeopardy by rogue officers and to ensure that departments are holding those responsible accountable for their actions.” A former Akron Police Department officer is under investigation for allegedly misusing the City’s flock camera system while on administrative leave. The Akron Beacon Journal has reported that the Summit County Sheriff's office is investigating the incident. The former officer involved, Devon Fields, has been terminated for violating Akron Police Department policies in an unrelated incident. Print Email Share Tweet