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A person garbed as the iconic “Star Wars” character Darth Vader appeared before San Diego’s Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee on Wednesday to deliver a satirical defense of the city’s Flock automated license plate recognition system. The performer approached the microphone complete with the villain’s signature heavy breathing, with council members acknowledging the theatrical presentation throughout the testimony.
The speaker employed Star Wars references to critique the surveillance technology, invoking imagery of emperors and rebel forces to underscore concerns about government tracking. “This technology will help us find the rebel scum and the hidden base on Hoth,” the person stated, while also noting that Flock cameras follow “children” as they move between public spaces like playgrounds and pools, and jokingly requested the system to “stalk my ex-girlfriend.”
San Diego’s Police Department operates Flock license plate readers at roughly 500 locations throughout the city, according to its 2025 annual surveillance report. The department maintains that only authorized personnel can access the automated license plate recognition database and that captured data is purged within 30 days unless preserved as evidence in active cases.
In December 2025, SDPD entered a one-year pilot agreement for Flock Nova, an investigative platform designed to aggregate data from multiple sources, though the department later clarified it was not actively using the platform or integrating license plate reader information into it. Mounting public opposition to the technology has prompted local activists and some elected officials to seek alternative public safety approaches, according to reporting from Axios.
Flock’s technology suite includes automated license plate recognition systems, video surveillance cameras and audio-detection devices capable of capturing vehicle identification details including plate numbers, make, model, color and distinctive features such as bumper stickers or aftermarket modifications.
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