Georgia man sues Flock and sheriff's office over alleged retaliation using license plate readers

A Georgia man named Murkerson has filed a lawsuit against Flock, the company behind an automated license plate reader (ALPR) surveillance system, and the Coweta County Sheriff's Office. The complaint alleges the technology was used to retaliate against him. The case matters because it tests whether internal policies are enough to prevent misuse of police surveillance tools.

The plaintiff's claims

Chris Hall, one of Murkerson's attorneys, told Ars Technica that the issue is not the photographing of license plates itself. His concern is that police can run searches implicating the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution with no controls. The plaintiff's side alleges that Georgia law and the Fourth Amendment were violated, because the activity amounted to a search and surveillance aimed at one person.

Actions by Flock and the sheriff's office

In August 2026, Flock announced it would require case codes for all law enforcement searches by the end of the year, in order to limit abuse. The Coweta County Sheriff's Office began its own audit of the system the same month. The complaint notes that three employees resigned before the audit was finished.

Flock has faced growing scrutiny, and hundreds of law enforcement agencies have recently stopped using it, largely because of backlash over overbroad and unwanted surveillance.

Reactions

Brian Hofer, chair of Secure Justice, a California-based organization that has examined Flock and other surveillance technologies, said he knows of no other lawsuit of this kind. He argued the case shows guardrails do not work and suggested banning the technology at least until policing culture changes.

A Flock spokesperson said the company disagrees with the claims and intends to defend itself vigorously in court. The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.