On June 9, 2026, the Knight Institute, the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Policing Project at NYU School of Law, and Freshfields LLP filed a class-action lawsuit challenging the legality of a mass vehicle surveillance system operated by the Westchester County Police Department (WCPD). Brought on behalf of New Yorkers whose driver and vehicle data have been captured by the system, the suit alleges that WCPD engages in sweeping, warrantless surveillance that violates the New York State Constitution’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and exceeds WCPD’s authority under New York law.

WCPD operates one of the largest and most technologically advanced vehicle surveillance systems in the country. The system deploys at least 575 cameras that indiscriminately record vehicles on Westchester County roads and analyzes those recordings using sophisticated AI tools. WCPD collects and retains hundreds of millions of vehicle records in a searchable database for at least two years, allowing police to compile detailed records of drivers’ movements, routines, and associations over time. WCPD also provides more than 50 outside agencies with access to the data, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The lawsuit alleges that WCPD operates the system without authorization from any elected body and without meaningful safeguards governing the collection, retention, use, or sharing of sensitive vehicle surveillance data. The plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief barring WCPD from operating the system.

Status: Complaint filed in New York Supreme Court on June 9, 2026.

Case Information: Umemoto v. Westchester County Police Department (New York Supreme Court, Westchester County).