Today 404 Media asked readers across the country to request Axon’s license plate reader (ALPR) activity reports from their local police. 404 calls these reports Axon’s version of Flock’s network audits. Those Flock audits were the basis for 404’s reporting that ICE was getting Flock data, and that a Texas officer searched cameras nationwide for an abortion-related case.
I filed the New Orleans version today: request 26-20324 to NOPD. It covers January 1 through August 31, 2026, and asks for four reports:
- Internal ALPR Activity report
- Network ALPR Activity report
- ALPR Data Sharing report
- ALPR Hotlist Management Audit report
Axon’s own documentation says these reports come straight from the LPR Audit menu. I asked for native exports with every column: the user, badge or user ID, the plate queried, the timestamp, and the stated reason or case number.
These logs answer basic questions. Who is searching plates? Why are they searching? Is New Orleans data being shared with other agencies, including federal ones? Residents shouldn’t have to guess.
I don’t yet know if NOPD holds Axon ALPR data. If it doesn’t, I’ll say so here. That’s an answer worth having too.
File your own. Here’s the exact request I filed. Change the agency and date range and submit it. It already asks for a detailed exemption log and a fee waiver, and cites Louisiana’s rule against labor fees. Outside Louisiana, swap in your state’s records law. My other request templates are here. If you get records back, send them to 404 Media (joseph@404media.co) and to me.
I’ll post updates as NOPD responds.
