Las Vegas Expands Surveillance Camera Network with Private Funding

Critics raise concerns over lack of public input on Flock Safety camera system

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has expanded its network of Flock Safety automatic license plate reader cameras to around 200 units, with the majority of the funding coming from private donations rather than public funds. This has drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates who argue the public was not given a proper chance to weigh in on the surveillance system.

Why it matters

The use of private funding to bypass public review processes for surveillance technology raises concerns about transparency and democratic oversight. Critics argue the community should have a say in whether such systems are deployed, even if the initial costs are covered by private donors.

The details

The Flock Safety cameras are mounted on city and county infrastructure and share data with hundreds of state and local agencies across the country. Public audit logs show the Las Vegas police have conducted over 23,000 vehicle searches using the system since late 2023. The cameras were funded through private donations to a non-profit arm of the police department, which critics say effectively sidestepped the public debate that typically occurs when surveillance systems are implemented using taxpayer money.

  • The Flock Safety camera network in Las Vegas was expanded starting in late 2023.
  • As of February 2026, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department operates around 200 Flock cameras.

The players

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

The law enforcement agency that operates the Flock Safety camera network in Las Vegas, funded largely through private donations.

Friends of Metro

A non-profit arm of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department that received private donations to fund the Flock Safety camera system.

Horowitz Foundation

A private organization that provided funding to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for the Flock Safety camera network.

Jay Stanley

An analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union who criticized the lack of public input on the Flock Safety camera system in Las Vegas.

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What they’re saying

“It's a short circuit of the democratic process. Does the community want this technology imposed on it?”

— Jay Stanley, Analyst, American Civil Liberties Union (The Nevada Independent)

What’s next

Critics have called for greater public transparency and oversight regarding the Flock Safety camera network in Las Vegas, particularly if private funding were to run out in the future.

The takeaway

The use of private funding to rapidly expand surveillance technology without public input raises concerns about the erosion of democratic processes and the need for greater transparency around the deployment of such systems, even when initial costs are covered by non-governmental sources.