NYPD Domain Awareness System and Flock Safety cameras misused to track individuals
Police in New York and Miami-Dade County have used AI surveillance systems including the NYPD's Domain Awareness System and Flock Safety cameras to track individuals beyond legitimate law enforcement purposes, including monitoring romantic partners and women who obtained abortions. Miami-Dade County suspended all 84 Flock Safety cameras following Governor Ron DeSantis's directive restricting their use.
What happened
The New York Police Department operates the Domain Awareness System, an AI surveillance platform connecting over 80,000 cameras with drones, social media data, and vehicle tracking systems. According to the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, any police officer in the city can access the system from their phone and query profiles of people walking the streets, revealing who they have met and places visited over the past week.
Flock Safety cameras, which read and record vehicle license plates, have been used by police in New York and Miami-Dade County to track individuals beyond their intended purpose. In recent months, controversy erupted after police used Flock Safety systems to follow romantic partners and exparters, and in one case to monitor a woman who had undergone an abortion.
Reported impact
The surveillance systems extend far beyond what the public realizes, with the Domain Awareness System and Flock Safety cameras enabling tracking of individuals' movements, associations, and sensitive personal decisions without apparent oversight.
Index analysis
Miami-Dade County suspended use of all 84 Flock Safety cameras following an order by Governor Ron DeSantis, citing concerns that the cameras violate the privacy of drivers who have not committed traffic violations.
Governance controls
Governor DeSantis issued a directive to limit the use of Flock Safety cameras on Florida roads, leading Miami-Dade County to suspend the entire system rather than restrict cameras only to state highways.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.