Utah governor 'deeply troubled' by Flock camera concerns, orders privacy review

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Gov. Spencer Cox will order a privacy review of Flock cameras amid misuse concerns.
The Utah Civic Compact revealed Weber County cameras were accessed over 5 million times.
Cox supports legislation if gaps in camera regulation are identified by review.

SALT LAKE CITY – Amid heightened scrutiny on cameras that automatically track license plates, Gov. Spencer Cox has ordered two state entities to conduct a review and ensure that those cameras are not being misused.

During his monthly news conference on Thursday, Cox said he was "deeply troubled" by concerns raised by the Utah Civic Compact about the frequency that 10 such cameras owned by Weber County were accessed over several years.

The group released public information from the Weber County Sheriff's Office that showed since early 2022, those cameras were searched more than 5 million times, mostly by out-of-state law enforcement agencies.

Often called Flock cameras, there are hundreds of them along the Wasatch Front and in other parts of the state. Police tout them as effective in helping find suspect vehicles and investigate crimes. But opponents say they lead to government surveillance and an invasion of privacy.

In response to concerns, Cox said he has ordered the Utah Privacy Governing Board and the Utah Privacy Commission to take a closer look.

"I've asked them to do a review of all of our rules and regulations around these cameras," the governor said, "especially how they're being used with local agencies to make sure that they are not being abused."

Cox added that he wants the public to understand how and when those cameras are used and, if abuse takes place, that people are held accountable.

"We're not going to allow that here," he said.

New legislation needed?

Last week, in releasing the public information about the Weber County cameras, Utah Civic Compact leaders urged state lawmakers to tighten Utah code to ensure that out-of-state agencies follow the rules Utah has set for accessing and using data from those cameras.

Cox insisted Utah law already has guardrails in place around the use of those cameras, but he questioned whether it was being followed.

"If there are some gaps, then yes, I would absolutely support legislation," Cox said, "but I think the legislation we have in place should allow us to protect people's privacy and make sure they're not being abused."

Utah lawmakers considered a bill in 2025 that would have further regulated automatic license plate readers, but it failed to pass before the session ended. Another related bill in 2026 did not receive a hearing.