Police Departments Divert Opioid Settlement Funds to Purchase Surveillance Cameras

At least 19 law enforcement agencies across 10 states have spent more than $920,000 in opioid settlement funds to purchase automated license plate readers and AI-powered surveillance cameras, according to a Mother Jones investigation published August 27. The expenditures, drawn from the more than $50 billion in pharmaceutical settlement funds intended for addiction treatment and prevention, have sparked sharp criticism from public health advocates who say the money is being diverted from communities most affected by the overdose crisis.

How Settlement Funds Became Surveillance Budgets

The opioid settlements, reached between 2022 and 2024 with major pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy chains, were designed to provide resources to communities ravaged by opioid addiction over an 18-year payout period. But as disbursements began flowing to states and localities, police departments have increasingly tapped these funds to expand their surveillance capabilities.

Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based company whose cameras have become synonymous with automated license plate recognition, features prominently in the purchases. The investigation found that 12 sheriffs' offices and police departments used opioid settlement money specifically for Flock cameras, while another seven agencies purchased similar technology from competitors including Motorola, Axon, and Verkada.

Case Studies in Missed Priorities

In Sunnyside, Washington—a city where roughly one in five residents live in poverty—the police chief successfully requested $24,000 in opioid settlement funds for a mobile Flock security trailer at a June 2025 city council meeting. The expenditure came as Yakima County, where Sunnyside is located, faces a dire shortage of treatment resources: the county lacks a medical detox center and reports one of Washington's highest overdose death rates.

"We've had several people in that strip mall next to the hotel that have complained about drug use behind their business," the police chief told council members, according to meeting minutes. "I was trying to find creative ways to pay for one because $24,000 wasn't in our budget this year, but we've got this opioid settlement money."

The council approved the request unanimously. One councilmember enthusiastically asked: "Can we afford two of them?"

In Ohio County, West Virginia, commissioners voted unanimously in September 2025 to approve $57,900 for six Flock cameras over three years. When questioned about whether the purchase represented an appropriate use of settlement funds, the chief deputy responded that the cameras would "help track drugs coming into our area." Three months later, the sheriff reported that the system logged 28,000 license plate readings on Black Friday alone in a county with a population of approximately 40,000.

The Industry Push

The surveillance industry has actively encouraged law enforcement to view opioid settlement funds as a revenue stream. A December blog post from Leonardo, a multinational security firm, called the funds "a major new opportunity" for police to invest in license plate readers. The company noted that approved spending categories in many states include "LPR technology due to its role in detecting vehicles tied to drug trafficking, overdose events, and fugitive recovery."

In June, 404 Media reported that Leonardo planned to enhance its cameras with sensors capable of capturing unique identifiers from mobile phones, wearables, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices—expanding surveillance from vehicles to the individuals inside them.

Advocates Decry the Spending Pattern

Public health advocates say the purchases represent a fundamental betrayal of the settlements' purpose. Robyn Oster, director of policy at the nonprofit Partnership to End Addiction, told Mother Jones that surveillance spending fails to address the core needs of communities struggling with addiction.

"It's just really not the way to make the most impact in addressing addiction," Oster said. "While $50 billion may seem like a lot of funds, once it's divided up over 18 years and thousands of localities, a lot of places really aren't getting that much, particularly given the scope of the crisis. Whatever funds you're spending on a camera, you're not spending on getting someone into treatment."

The investigation builds on previous reporting from KFF Health News that found police departments using opioid settlement funds for Tasers, firearm silencers, drones, and other equipment. In West Virginia, some rural counties have used the funds to pay jail bills.

Broader Context

The surveillance spending comes as communities across the country face critical shortages in medication-assisted treatment capacity, detoxification services, and harm reduction infrastructure. While overdose deaths have declined for three consecutive years nationally, more than 80,000 Americans still die annually from opioid-related causes, and treatment access remains unevenly distributed.

The findings highlight ongoing tensions between public health and criminal justice approaches to the addiction crisis, raising questions about oversight and accountability in the distribution of settlement funds intended to heal communities harmed by the opioid epidemic.