Full Notification

On May 5, 2026, the El Cerrito City Council voted 3-2 not to renew the Flock Safety License Plate Reader contract.

Pursuant to the City Council’s decision, on Saturday, June 6, 2026, all 40 Flock Safety License Plate readers in El Cerrito were shut down. Technicians from Flock Safety will be removing the cameras from the city in the coming weeks.

The three-year contract with Flock Safety coincided with a period of significant crime reduction in El Cerrito. During that period (2022-2025):

• Robberies fell 20%, to the second lowest level in 40 years.
• Burglaries fell 41%, to the lowest level in 40 years.
• Vehicle theft fell 52%, to the lowest level in 40 years.

License plate reading cameras played a large role in making these outstanding outcomes possible. The city does not have plans to replace the system and officers no longer have access to this powerful investigative tool.