The Utah Civic Compact is urging the Utah Department of Transportation to terminate its contract with surveillance company Flock Safety, arguing that controlling the use of license-plate readers may be more feasible than eliminating them entirely. The nonprofit's call for action follows an investigation showing that ten cameras in Weber County were searched over 5 million times by law enforcement agencies across 45 states between February 2022 and July 2026.
Massive Out-of-State Interest
The push for policy change follows a significant investigation published by the Utah Civic Compact in August 2026. According to records released under the Government Records Access and Management Act, 3,343 law enforcement agencies in 45 states ran 5,171,087 searches against Weber County's ten license plate reader cameras. The investigation revealed that 96.6% of these searches originated from agencies outside of Utah, with the Houston Police Department alone accounting for 36.8% of all activity.
Data Privacy Concerns
The Utah Civic Compact noted that while Weber County's own deputies ran 13,100 of the searches, the vast majority of the activity was driven by external agencies. A report released by the nonprofit on October 6, 2026, highlighted that private customers also feed the same plate-reader networks used by Utah agencies, and that collected plate data is already being sold to insurers.
Widespread Camera Network
The scale of surveillance in the state is significant. As of October 27, 2026, at least 1,058 automated license plate readers have been reported across Utah, ranking the state 30th out of 52 states and territories by camera count. These cameras are documented in 125 cities and towns across 22 counties, with 76 percent identified as Flock Safety cameras. Salt Lake City has the highest concentration with 56 cameras, followed by Provo with 52 and Ogden with 47.
Regulatory Strategy
The Utah Civic Compact is advocating for a strategy that focuses on regulation rather than total abolition. The group is urging the Utah Department of Transportation to cut its contract with Flock, a move they say would sharply limit the number of cameras and the surveillance conducted. This approach comes as Utah lawmakers weigh tighter rules following concerns about how agencies access and share data.
Existing Legal Framework
Current Utah law includes the Automatic License Plate Reader System Act, which was amended in 2023. Under the law, a governmental entity may not use these systems unless specific exceptions apply, such as for active criminal investigations, apprehending individuals with outstanding warrants, locating missing or endangered persons, or locating stolen vehicles. The law also requires that every search be recorded and kept for five years, including the crime type and incident number.
Verification Challenges
Despite these legal requirements, investigations have highlighted significant enforcement gaps. In Weber County, the Sheriff's Office reported in August 2026 that it did not maintain a record of audits. While the office later clarified that audits were performed but no log was kept, the lack of a verification mechanism means there is no way to confirm if the 3,343 agencies accessing the network are following Utah's privacy laws. The Utah Civic Compact noted that the state lacks the administrative infrastructure to verify whether out-of-state agencies are complying with the law.
Advocacy and Action
The Utah Civic Compact's leadership, including President Conner Radcliffe and Policy Director Jarom Gillins, continues to advocate for greater transparency. The organization's mission involves reading policy documents to identify gaps and proposing specific changes to close them. As of October 2026, the group has gathered 1,873 signatures for its petition urging the Utah Department of Transportation to terminate its surveillance contracts.
