Denver Replaces Flock Cameras with Axon License Plate Readers

New system aims to strengthen public safety with stronger privacy protections, city leaders say.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 2:54am

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After months of community backlash over Flock surveillance cameras, Denver is partnering with Axon to operate a new network of automated license plate readers. City officials say the Axon system will have tighter privacy safeguards, including prohibiting access by federal agencies like ICE, and limiting data retention to 21 days.

Why it matters

The move comes after concerns were raised that Flock's cameras were being used for immigration enforcement, which the city says will not be allowed under the new Axon contract. The new system aims to balance public safety needs with stronger privacy protections for residents.

The details

Under the Axon agreement, the company must comply with Colorado law and is prohibited from providing Denver data for civil immigration enforcement, abortion-related investigations, or any use not explicitly authorized by the city. Access to the data will be limited to Denver officers, and it will be stored in a high-security system and deleted after 21 days.

  • For months, community members voiced concerns about the Flock Safety cameras.
  • The new Axon system will replace Denver's current network of Flock cameras.

The players

Tim Hoffman

Policy director for the City and County of Denver.

Dr. Steve Beaty

Computer science professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

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What they’re saying

“There's not going to be federal agents, ICE officers who can get access. We wanted to make sure that there's no sort of national lookup feature. There's no sort of ability for federal agencies or ICE officers to access Denver's data.”

— Tim Hoffman, Policy director

“Computers can be hacked, and have been hacked, and will continue to be broken into. I think there are concerns around the ownership of the data of the video footage, is it being sold to a third party?”

— Dr. Steve Beaty, Computer science professor

What’s next

The proposal now heads to the full city council for a vote.

The takeaway

Denver's move to replace Flock's surveillance cameras with Axon's license plate readers highlights the ongoing tension between public safety and privacy concerns. While the new system aims to have stronger privacy safeguards, some experts remain skeptical about data security and potential misuse.