@ksbw_8: There is growing concern that controversial Flock license plate readers could be targeted this Halloween weekend. The online effort, called “De-Flock America,” is prompting questions about whether it is social media hype or a real threat. The campaign encourages people to cover, damage or destroy Flock cameras, potentially while wearing Halloween costumes and masks. “I mean, this is taxpayer dollars. They paid for this technology, and those same taxpayers in Seaside will decide if they stay up or if they go down,” Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges said. Flock, the company that makes the cameras, said it is aware of the online posts. In a statement, the company said, “When a camera is taken offline, an investigative lead can disappear, and a time-sensitive alert tied to an AMBER Alert, a missing-person case or a violent crime suspect on the move may never reach the officers who need it.” Law enforcement officials are warning people to think twice before targeting a camera. “If a murderer escapes because a Flock camera is vandalized and murders again, how is that vandal going to feel? I hope bad, and I can tell you, the victims’ families are going to feel that way,” said Berkley Brannon, chief assistant district attorney for Monterey County. Damaging a Flock camera is felony vandalism, punishable by up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The person responsible also could be required to pay the cost of replacing a damaged camera. As the debate over public safety and privacy continues in cities and counties across the Central Coast, Borges said the issue should be settled through conversation, not violence. “Seaside residents here, they will decide what technology the Police Department has. They will decide what type of policing they’re going to get here in Seaside. So there’s no need for anybody to come and damage our stuff. All our Seaside residents have to do is have a conversation with us, and they’ve been doing that,” Borges said.

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Sunday 01 November 2026 01:22:53 GMT