LAS VEGAS, NV — The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada is pressing Clark County School District trustees to step in after the district paused its use of Flock surveillance cameras for investigations. In a letter sent Wednesday, the group said it would be reckless to let school police decide on their own whether to adopt the technology without direct board oversight.
The request follows a memo from new CCSD Police Chief Jeff Clark that outlined how Flock system cameras should be used in investigations. Soon after the memo became public, the district said it would stop using the cameras for now. The dispute has quickly turned into a broader fight over who should control access to license plate reader data and how much the public should know about it.
Memo from new police chief put CCSD camera use under a microscope
CCSD confirmed that school police had been using the surveillance cameras through access provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department since at least August 2024. Clark’s memo, which was made public in August, helped bring that use into sharper focus and raised questions about how long the district had relied on the system before the public became aware.
The ACLU said the district had allowed access to surveillance-style data without board authorization, public notice or community input. In the letter, executive director Athar Haseebullah argued that those gaps matter because the technology can be used to track students and families, not just investigate crimes. The organization says that kind of decision should not be left to police alone.
Civil liberties group says board must hold a public meeting before use resumes
Haseebullah wrote that trustees should place the issue on a meeting agenda and give residents a chance to comment before CCSD Police continue any use of Flock or other automatic license plate reader systems. The group framed the issue as one of governance, saying the elected board has a responsibility to set limits on a technology that can affect privacy across school communities.
The letter also argues that a pause is not enough on its own. Instead, the ACLU wants trustees to decide publicly whether the district should use the cameras at all, and under what conditions. That approach would require the board to consider how the system is governed, who can access it, and what safeguards would protect students and parents if the cameras are restored.
District says privacy and fast crime response both matter
In an Aug. 28 statement, district leaders said they understand the need to balance privacy concerns with the need to respond quickly to serious crimes. CCSD also said it would be fully transparent with the community about the use of Flock system cameras, signaling that officials knew the issue would draw close scrutiny from parents, advocates and trustees.
The district has not yet publicly laid out whether the pause will lead to a permanent change in policy or a revised approval process. Channel 13 said it reached out to CCSD on Wednesday for a response to the ACLU’s letter. For now, the district’s use of the cameras remains on hold while the debate over oversight continues.
Nevada debate reflects wider fight over license plate readers
The Clark County dispute is unfolding as criticism of license plate reader systems has grown in Nevada and across the country. Civil rights groups and ordinary residents have raised concerns about how long the data is kept, who can search it and whether the systems create a broad surveillance network in everyday public life.
At the same time, law enforcement agencies have defended the technology as a valuable investigative tool. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police have used Flock Safety cameras since at least 2023 and also have access to automatic license plate reader technology through Motorola. Police say the systems have helped solve cases and, in some situations, have saved lives.
Flock says laws and community rules should set the boundaries
Flock Safety said in a statement to Channel 13 that it strongly supports clear legislation creating guardrails for license plate reader use. The company said public safety, privacy and Fourth Amendment rights can coexist if each community sets policies that reflect its own laws and values.
That position mirrors the central tension in Nevada: supporters want tools that can speed investigations, while critics want stronger limits before the technology becomes routine. Haseebullah said the ACLU of Nevada is also pushing for a broader legislative ban on automatic license plate reader surveillance programs when lawmakers meet for the 2027 legislative session. For now, the immediate fight remains with CCSD trustees and whether they will openly review the district’s role in the system.
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