Costa Mesa Mayor John Stephens acknowledged that “virtually 100%” of residents in his city voiced opposition to retaining Flock Safety surveillance cameras, urging the city council to cancel them.
“I don’t think that I’ve ever in 10 years had an item that’s come before us where virtually 100% of the people gave the same position on it,” Stephens said during a council meeting. “Including people that are on email.”
Stephens expressed concern over residents who claimed Flock Safety cameras were eroding trust in the city police department. Despite this overwhelming opposition, the council voted 6-1 to extend the city’s three-year agreement with Atlanta-based Flock Safety, set to expire in April 2027. The decision included proposals to renegotiate terms and strengthen city control over how camera data is shared.
The vote followed four hours of testimony where only one comment—delivered via Zoom by former Costa Mesa Police Chief Ron Lawrence—supported keeping the cameras, while dozens spoke against their continued use. Company representatives were absent during the meeting.
Costa Mesa’s agreement covers 46 Flock devices, with $151,800 paid annually by the city and another $15,000 from a state retail theft grant. Police Chief Joyce LaPointe emphasized that all camera access requires a legitimate law enforcement purpose and weekly audits are conducted to ensure proper use. She stated: “Every decision made to implement new technology begins with one question: Will this help us protect our community?”
The cameras monitor entry and exit points, photograph passing vehicles, read license plates, and compare data against police databases. Approximately 170 city employees—including sworn officers—have authorization to access the system, though representatives confirmed Flock does not sell data to third parties, use facial recognition, or capture driver names or images. Cameras are positioned exclusively at traffic points, not parks.
The decision drew protests from “DeFlockers” who rallied outside City Hall and stayed overnight to hear council deliberations. Amy Stevens of the OC Indivisible Coalition called the outcome “disappointing but not altogether unexpected,” noting it would “fire everyone up to fight even harder.”
City leaders plan to revisit contract terms by November, pending Flock Safety’s response to proposed changes.