OAKLAND, CA — Police tracked down and seized 10 vehicles from across the Bay Area — including Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa— linked to illegal sideshows.
Oakland police said in a Facebook post that the department is using its controversial surveillance technology to aggressively track down anyone involved in illegal sideshows, even when they are fleeing from police.
Police used Flock automated license plate reader cameras to track and seize vehicles in Santa Rosa, Santa Clara, Rohnert Park, Elk Grove, and Concord as part of an expanded crackdown on rogue street takeovers.
They said sideshows — in which drivers block intersections and spin vehicles while crowds gather — may draw viral attention online, but the stunts are illegal and potentially dangerous.
Anyone who shows up and participates risks having their vehicle towed and impounded for 30 days, according to the warning from Oakland police.
The Oakland Police Department has identified and towed more than 80 vehicles this year for reckless driving, running from police, and participating in illegal sideshows, according to the statement.That number includes the 10 vehicles (mostly sedans but also a pick-up truck) from Oakland, Concord, and the North Bay.
The enforcement campaign will continue as the department works to deter the gatherings and keep city streets safe, police said.Oakland began installing the cameras in 2024.
In late 2025, the Oakland City Council approved expanding what has become a mass surveillance network of nearly 300 cameras to track vehicles throughout the city under a $2.25 million contract, The Oaklandside reported.
The vote cleared the way for Oakland police to install and manage 40 new video surveillance cameras in the city’s commercial corridors.
These “PTZ cameras” are distinct from the license plate readers but are also made by Flock Safety, according to Oaklandside’s report.
The vote, and Flock cameras in general, were controversial because federal agencies have accessed data from Oakland’s cameras. Since then, reports have revealed that agencies have conducted potentially illegal federal searches of automated license-plate camera databases, including for immigration enforcement.
Following months of public comment questioning automatic license plate reader cameras, officials in cities including Rohnert Park, Mill Valley, and Oakland have turned to a series of safeguards and a key policy change regarding Flock Safety systems.
Police agencies around the Bay Area, like Oakland and Berkeley’s, have touted the effectiveness of Flock cameras in law enforcement efforts on Facebook and other media.