A mock Darth Vader used iconic Star Wars dialogue to critique the use of Flock police surveillance cameras during a San Diego City Council committee meeting on Wednesday. The individual, complete with the villain's signature heavy breathing, approached the podium to express a sarcastic endorsement of the technology.
"This is what the emperor needs. This technology will help us find the rebel scum and the hidden base on Hoth," the man stated, referencing characters and locations from the Star Wars franchise. He continued, suggesting the cameras could help locate "Luke Skywalker as he traverses the universe in his X-Wing," adding, "This technology is a necessary, necessary force."
The costumed individual further claimed, "The Emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must continue utilizing Flock technologies so that we can follow and surveil the rebel scum as they move from playground to playground, from playground to pool, from pool to gymnasium, because we all know that the Flock cameras are not only following the license plate readers, they are following children." He also humorously suggested the cameras could be used to "stalk my ex-girlfriend."
Addressing City Council member Jennifer Campbell, the man advised her to "work on your Jedi mind tricks" and questioned public trust in a council that votes for surveillance technology. Council members acknowledged the attendee as "Darth Vader" during his remarks.
The San Diego Police Department utilizes Flock automated license plate recognition cameras at approximately 500 locations across the city, according to the department's 2025 annual surveillance report. The department maintains that the technology is employed for official law enforcement purposes, such as locating vehicles involved in investigations. Authorized SDPD personnel are the only ones with access to the ALPR database, and data is retained for a maximum of 30 days unless preserved as evidence in an active investigation.
In December 2025, the San Diego Police Department entered into a one-year pilot agreement for Flock Nova, a separate investigative platform intended to integrate data from various sources. However, the department later stated it was not using this platform and had no plans to integrate its license plate reader data into it.
Public criticism of Flock cameras has been mounting in communities nationwide, prompting local activists and some city officials to call for alternative solutions, according to Axios. A crowdsourced map compiled by the anti-surveillance project DeFlock lists additional camera locations in the San Diego area, though these are not part of an official city inventory.