The Utah Civic Compact is calling on the Utah Department of Transportation to terminate its contract with Flock Group Inc., arguing that state transportation managers can bypass the legislature to limit automated license plate reader surveillance on state highways. The nonprofit group claims the agency's existing contract allows for immediate termination if the department determines the public does not support the company's activities.
A Faster Path to Termination
During a press conference at the Utah State Capitol on Friday, Oct. 3, 2026, Utah Civic Compact spokesperson Clark Dice announced that the group is urging UDOT to exercise a specific clause in its agreement to end the surveillance partnership. According to a copy of the contract obtained via a GRAMMA request, Section 10(1)(g) of UDOT Agreement No. 258065—which became effective July 9, 2024—permits the agency to end the agreement if it determines that the public does not support the company's activities.
Dice stated that taking this administrative route would be faster and easier than passing new laws through the Utah Legislature. He noted that if UDOT chooses to terminate the contract, the agreement requires Flock to shut off devices on UDOT right-of-way immediately and remove them within 60 days.
Privacy and Surveillance Concerns
The push for termination comes amid growing concerns regarding privacy and the intrusive nature of license plate reader technology. Dice said the cameras do more than just record license plates; they capture the vehicle make, model, color, and even physical details like dents on doors. He expressed concern that this data, which is accessible through national databases, allows for the tracking of people's movements and associations.
Dice highlighted the scale of data access, claiming his investigation found the Houston Police Department alone had accessed the data approximately 500,000 times. He argued that the public does not feel safe being surveilled and catalogued, stating, "We cannot catalog people's movements just because they're moving. It has to be in connection to law enforcement."
UDOT Response and Oversight
While the Utah Civic Compact seeks to terminate the contract, UDOT officials indicated they are currently focused on administrative oversight rather than policy shifts. UDOT spokesperson John Gleason said Friday that the department's current priority is verifying that all cameras bordering state roads have the proper permits and working to complete a full count of the devices.
Gleason clarified that UDOT does not determine the location, number, or operation of the cameras, nor does the agency access the information collected by the devices. He noted that the department handles matters regarding equipment, highway safety, and paperwork, while questions regarding the purpose or necessity of the cameras fall to the law enforcement agencies that requested them.
Statewide Debates on Technology
The debate over Flock technology has reached state leaders, including Governor Spencer Cox, who expressed misgivings about the technology in August 2026. Cox stated that Americans "should be deeply concerned" about law enforcement combing through data for personal reasons. He previously directed the Utah Privacy Governing Board and the Utah Privacy Commission to review regulations to ensure the technology is not being abused and that the public understands its use.
While law enforcement agencies have previously urged lawmakers to maintain the technology, promising responsible use, the Flock network claims its platform helps solve approximately 2,000 crimes per day. Despite these claims, the Utah Civic Compact is asking the public to sign a petition to signal to UDOT that the public does not support the company's activities.
The Civic Mission
The Utah Civic Compact, a recently formed nonprofit, aims to ensure residents have a genuine voice in decisions that shape their lives. The group is encouraging citizens to participate in the debate now, arguing that if the state does not address the technology while it is in its infancy, it will become much harder to curtail its capabilities in the future.
