- Stockton misappropriated over $3 million in public funds to covertly purchase surveillance technology, mislabeling the project as an “Animal Shelter Study” in city records.
A $3.15 million Stockton contract amendment funding drone and surveillance technology was labeled “Animal Shelter Study” in the city’s accounting system, according to public records reviewed by a local civic organization.
That discrepancy is now the center of a growing transparency dispute. The City Council approved the amendment in March 2026, and public opposition emerged in August and September of that year.
What Flock Cameras Do
Automated license-plate readers collect far more than a plate number, and networked access can extend that data well beyond city limits.
Flock Safety cameras are automated license-plate readers (ALPRs) that record plate numbers, vehicle characteristics, and locations. When participating agencies share network access, that data can become searchable across jurisdictions by other authorized agencies, subject to each contract’s permissions and applicable policies…