A curious case from May 7, 2025, saw a **Goshen Police Department** officer access 6,474 ALPR networks, encompassing data from 82,413 cameras. The documented reason for this extensive search? A simple "idk" (I don't know). This incident is far from isolated. While law enforcement agencies and technology vendors like **Flock Safety**, **Motorola Solutions**, and **Axon** promote ALPRs as vital for solving grave crimes such as carjackings or kidnappings, real-world data paints a different, and frankly, alarming picture. An analysis by the **Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)** of **Flock Safety** ALPR search logs reveals a disturbing trend: officers are routinely searching these vast databases with frivolous or entirely illegitimate justifications. Entries such as "LOL," "LMAO," "sexy," and "idk" are being used to access sensitive location data, effectively making a mockery of civil liberties. In some instances, officers aren't even bothering with coherent reasons, resorting to mere keyboard mashing. **Flock Safety** claims to have enhanced its system by implementing a dropdown menu of crime types for search justifications. However, this feature, while appearing to add structure, merely provides a veneer of legitimacy without requiring proof that the selected reason aligns with the actual purpose of the search. Without warrant requirements, robust guardrails, or adequate audit processes, ALPR databases have fostered a culture of unrestricted access. This has allowed police to treat a mass surveillance network as a personal search engine, tracking everyday citizens for minor infractions, personal whims, or, as some logs suggest, "for the lols." ## A Documented Culture of Abuse The misuse of ALPRs is not a new issue; it has been a prominent concern for over a year. Previous reports have highlighted officers abusing these systems to stalk ex-partners or romantic interests. ALPRs have also been deployed to surveil protests, potentially chilling First Amendment-protected dissent, and even to track individuals seeking abortions. Insights into these abuses often come from "network audits" – extensive spreadsheets documenting searches across an agency's system. It's not uncommon for even small agencies to record millions of searches by thousands of external agencies nationwide. Alarmingly, systemic profiling has also been uncovered, with over 80 law enforcement agencies using terms like "roma" and "g*psy" to target ethnic Romani people, often without a suspected crime. Beyond profiling, ALPRs are frequently used for trivial investigations, such as verifying school residency, conducting employment background checks, responding to loud music complaints, or targeting motorcyclists for holding a cell phone. But the situation, incredibly, continues to worsen. ## The Absurdity of Documented Search Reasons **EFF's** analysis of **Flock Safety** ALPR data, obtained through public records requests, exposes a troubling pattern. In the absence of judicial oversight, officers are inputting ludicrously unserious terms to justify their searches. Here’s a snapshot of what some police consider a "reason" to track someone’s vehicle: #### Surveillance as a Joke  * **Barberton Police Department** (Ohio) employees ran numerous searches between March 2024 and May 2026, listing "**LOL**" or "**lol**" as the reason. * **Harris County Sheriff's Office** (Texas) employees ran several searches between April and May 2026 listing "**LOL**" or "**lol**" as the case number. * **Lake County Sheriff's Department** (Ind.) employees ran searches in July 2025 for "**LMAO**." * **Richmond Police Department** (Calif.) employees ran over multiple searches in November 2024 for "**Hehe**." * **Riverside County Sheriff's Department** (Calif.) employees ran searches in 2024 for "**Haha**." #### "Don’t Know, Don’t Care" Approach * **Kankakee County, Sheriff's Office** (Ill.) employees ran searches (2023–2025) for "**idk**" or "**idk lol**." * **Goshen Police Department** (Ind.) ran searches (May–June 2025) for "**idk**." * **Fishers Police Department** (Ind.) ran searches in May 2025 for "**blah**." * A **Pasco Police Department** (Wash.) employee searched for at least four different license plates, leaving "**robbery i don't remember the case number leave me alone**" in the reason field. * The **San Diego Sheriff's Department** (Calif.) ran searches in May 2025 with "**idk**" in the reason field. * More than 30 agencies ran over 6,300 searches with "**TBD**" (short for "To Be Determined") as the "reason." These included the **Arizona Department of Public Safety**, the **Manteca Police Department** (Calif.), and the **Baton Rouge Police Department** (La.). The **Priceville Police Department** (Ala.) alone ran 1,954 searches with reasons "TBD." #### Insults and Inappropriate Searches * **Belton Police Department** (Mo.) ran searches (Aug–Sept 2024) for "**d*ckhead**." * A **Manteca Police Department** (Ill.) employee ran searches in June 2024 for "**sh*thead**." * A **Norton Police Department** (Mass.) employee ran searches in December 2024 for "**Sexy**." * **Corona Police Department** (Calif.) employees ran searches (2023–2025) for "**weird**" or "**WEIRD KID**." * **Thornton Police Department** (Colo.) employees ran several searches in October 2025 for "**driving around being weird**." * A **Columbus Police Department** (Ohio) officer ran searches in 2023 for "**idiot**." * A **Michigan City Police Department** Officer (Ind.) ran searches in June 2025 listing "**f*ck this new search engine**." ### Button Mashing