Siskiyou County Sheriff Halts Flock Camera Plan Over Privacy Concerns
No sheriff’s cameras were installed, and officials say the owner of a reported camera in Central Weed remains unknown.
Sheriff LaRue: Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue says his office will not move forward with a planned Flock Safety camera program after privacy concerns emerged during the implementation review. Courtesy of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
YREKA, Calif. — Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue says his office will not move forward with a planned Flock Safety camera program after identifying significant privacy concerns.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said it does not currently have any Flock Safety cameras installed in the county.
The update follows questions from residents about the potential use of the technology and reports of a possible Flock camera in Central Weed.
The Sheriff’s Office said neither it nor the Weed Police Department owns that device. Officials said they do not know who does.
LaRue signed an agreement in 2025 that would have allowed the Sheriff’s Office to access the Flock Safety network and establish a program within Siskiyou County for law enforcement purposes.
The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the agreement during a public meeting on June 17, 2025.
Flock Camera / Cover Photo: A solar-powered Flock Safety camera is mounted along a roadway to capture vehicle and license plate information for law enforcement searches. Photo courtesy of Flock Safety.
However, the Sheriff’s Office said several privacy concerns were identified as officials began evaluating how the program would be implemented.
Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue says his office will not move forward at this time with a planned Flock Safety camera program after identifying significant privacy concerns.
The release did not identify the specific privacy concerns that led to the decision.
It also did not say whether the agreement with Flock Safety has been formally terminated or whether any county money was spent before LaRue decided against implementation.
Public records from the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors’ June 17, 2025, meeting show the board unanimously approved a two-year contract with Flock Group for equipment leases, software support, and license plate readers, with a total cost not to exceed $84,460. On Dec. 9, 2025, the board unanimously approved a $2,400 increase for additional implementation fees, raising the contract ceiling to $86,860.
It remains unclear how much, if any, of that authorized amount the county paid to Flock before Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue decided not to move forward with the program.
Flock Safety camera systems are used by law enforcement agencies to gather and search vehicle information. Supporters describe the technology as a tool for locating stolen vehicles and identifying suspects, while critics have raised concerns about privacy, data sharing, and the ability to track vehicles across multiple jurisdictions.
LaRue said the Sheriff’s Office must weigh the possible value of new public safety tools against the privacy rights of residents and visitors.
“The Sheriff’s Office is committed to balancing effective public safety tools with the privacy rights of Siskiyou County residents and visitors,” the agency said. “We will continue to evaluate emerging technologies thoughtfully and transparently.”
The Sheriff’s Office also thanked residents for providing feedback about the proposed program.
