How to file an ALPR / Flock FOIA request: state-by-state template

Step-by-step instructions for requesting your city or state ALPR contract, camera count, retention policy, and data-sharing disclosures through FOIA, CPRA, FOIL, or state PIA laws.

Published September 25, 2026

Short answer: every US state has a public-records law, and almost every one of them covers ALPR camera contracts, vendor agreements, retention policies, and data-sharing disclosures. This page walks through how to write a request that gets answered.

Step 1 - Pick the right law and agency

State open-records laws go by several names. The law you cite determines the agency you address, the response timeline, and the exemptions you can pre-emptively narrow:

  • FOIA (federal) - only for federal agencies. Most ALPR data is held by state, county, or city agencies, so FOIA is rarely the right tool.
  • CPRA (California) - all state and local agencies. 10-day response window.
  • FOIL (New York) - all municipal agencies. 5 business-day acknowledgment, no statutory deadline for full response.
  • Texas Public Information Act - covers cities, counties, and police departments. 10 business days.
  • Florida Public Records Act - all government agencies, broad scope, no fee for the first 15 minutes.
  • Missouri Sunshine Law - applies to all public governmental bodies. 3 business days to respond.

For a city police department, address the request to the city clerk or the police department's records division. For a county sheriff's office, use the sheriff. For a state highway patrol, use the state AG's office or the agency's public records unit.

Step 2 - Use a narrow, itemized request

A request that says "give me everything about Flock" invites the agency to claim the request is overbroad. A request that lists 6-12 specific documents, by category, gets answered. Use this template skeleton:

Dear [Records Officer],

Under the [state public records act], I request the following records, in electronic format where available:

  1. The executed contract (and any amendments or renewal options) between [Agency] and Flock Group Inc., Motorola Solutions, Axon Enterprise, or any automated license plate reader (ALPR) vendor, dated on or after Jan 1, 2023.
  2. All invoices paid to any ALPR vendor for the period Jan 1, 2024 to present.
  3. The number of ALPR-equipped fixed and mobile cameras operated by or for [Agency] as of the date this request is fulfilled.
  4. The current data retention policy for ALPR plate reads, including any hot-list matching rules.
  5. All inter-agency data-sharing agreements naming [Agency] and any external law-enforcement or non-law-enforcement entity.
  6. Any records referencing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or DHS, in connection with ALPR-derived data.
  7. All council or board meeting minutes, agendas, and exhibits where the ALPR contract or a related surveillance program was discussed, dated on or after Jan 1, 2023.

If any portion of this request is denied, please cite the specific exemption and withhold only the minimum necessary. I am willing to pay reasonable duplication fees; please notify me in advance if the cost will exceed $50.

Thank you for your prompt attention.

Step 3 - Submit and track

  • Email is fine for most agencies; some still require mail. Send to the clerk or records officer, not a generic info@ address.
  • Save the email and any reply with the agency reference number. Most states require you to keep the request on file for any appeal.
  • Track each request in a spreadsheet: agency, sent date, legal deadline, follow-up date. Click submit a tip if you'd rather let us handle the tracking.

Step 4 - Appeal if denied or ignored

Most states publish an appeal procedure. In California you escalate to the Superior Court via a verified petition. In Texas you request a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General. Many states have a public-records ombudsman. Document the denial (or the lack of response after 30 days) verbatim and ask the agency to identify the exemption by statute.

What we do with the responses

Every FOIA response we receive is logged, redacted of any personally identifying information (driver names, plate numbers, witness details), and published as a primary source. We do not publish records that contain ongoing investigation metadata. We do publish the existence of the request, the response date, and the document count even if the agency withholds the content.

Related coverage

Want a city-level breakdown of ALPR deployments near you? Check your city or learn about this project.