What the Flock?! July 10, 2026
We begin with reports on the seemingly never-ending problems with Flock’s AI-powered surveillance tools: Check out this tik-tok to hear from a former RI police officer who ended up resigning after he spoke out against Flock cameras in 2023. Another headline from Rhode Island: a local businessman’s name is listed as the billing contact on Tiverton, RI’s Flock contract and residents want to know why, especially amid talks to expand Flock’s network in their city.
There are more reports about Flock data being misused. A police officer in FL looked up a woman’s license plate, added it to a Flock hotlist so he would be notified when she passed a camera, aggressively followed her, and then pulled her over for no reason other than because he wanted to and he could. Similarly, in Atlanta, GA, three officers were fired and arrested for unlawfully accessing the Flock database. Five more officers were arrested in Albany, GA. While some of these arrests were the result of audit log reviews, IPVM reported on a troubling trend that we’ve already been aware of: Flock’s audit logs are not a magic bullet to fix the problems inherent in their system. The audit logs are only helpful (and even still, sometimes only marginally so) if they are actually reviewed.
The San Francisco Police Department did review their audits of their Flock network and found nearly 300 searches over a year (0.005% of total searches) that were in violation of California law. The SFPD did not disclose the search reasons, only noting that they were not related to immigration or reproductive rights. Flock loves to repeat their reassurance that (currently) federal agencies do not have direct access to their data. In the San Francisco scenario, the SFPD shared their data with the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, who then conducted searches on behalf of outside agencies. Sure, in theory, this data stream passing from agency to agency technically is a result of human error (or, possibly, misuse) so Flock can absolve themselves. However, the flowing data stream is the problem baked into Flock’s network. And Flock’s own CEO, Garrett Langley, recently stated that he’s aware that Flock’s AI-powered surveillance tools are used for immigration enforcement:
“I am like, guys, the company has no opinion on this. If the state of Texas wants to enforce immigration, they might use Flock, but they're gonna go enforce immigration no matter what Flock does."
California is not the only state in which Flock camera usage has run counter to state law. In Vermont, where 2013 legislation has significantly limited and regulated the use of license plate cameras, police officers have nevertheless searched out-of-state cameras. (Don’t forget: there is still no legislation on these surveillance tools in Massachusetts, but a bill is in the works! H.3755 is still in the Ways and Means committee. Check here for more info on how you can support this legislation in MA.)
In Syracuse, NY, Flock dragged their feet over removing their cameras after the city cancelled their contract. Additionally, residents were shocked to learn that their police department continued using the Flock cameras for about a month after the decision was made to cut ties with the company.
Back in California, police departments used Flock data to track anti-ICE protestors. The article quotes a chilling statement from Tracy Rosenberg, Advocacy Director at Oakland Privacy:
“In 2026, surveillance tech has become so highly automated and large in scope that this familiar pattern edges ever closer to dystopia-style authoritarianism where the government keeps records on every single person who dares to protest a government action… For a country that venerates an act of civil disobedience about tea in Boston, that’s a disturbing direction to go.”
Under a surveillance state, regular people just going about their lives suffer—like Joel Feder, journalist and director of The Drive who was tracked by Flock’s system for days and ultimately surrounded by police officers due to a data entry error that flagged him as driving a stolen vehicle (that wasn’t actually stolen afterall). Read his story for his play-by-play of how it all went down, as well as the compounding errors that led to what could have been a deadly confrontation.
Given the myriad of problems with Flock Safety’s AI-powered surveillance tools (and their less-than stellar record of trustworthiness), it's no surprise that debates about these cameras rage on across the country. In Caldwell, ID, a resident has filed a tort claim alleging that the city’s use of Flock’s ALPRs is against state law. They want the city “to either stop sharing license plate reader data with Flock Safety or end its agreement with the company altogether.”
Residents are also speaking up against the cameras in Tyler, TX; Springfield, OH; St. Paul, MN; Cleveland, OH; and in Tewksbury, MA, just to name a few. This news segment describes the debate taking place in Pasadena, CA. Residents’ concerns, for the most part, are being responded to. Sometimes concerns are met by a Flock representative presenting at a city council meeting, as was ultimately the case in Cleveland (who sadly extended their contract for another 6 months) and Lafayette, CO (where the debate continues). In Durango, CO, city councilors “requested monthly reports about Durango Police Department’s use of Flock cameras, including how many vehicles are logged, what offenses Flock searches have pertained to and what outcomes the technology has resulted in.” They reviewed their first report on June 16th. Check out the numbers in the article.
In Shaker Heights, OH, Flock was unfortunately not cancelled, but stricter guardrails were put in place via an amended contract. In Oakland County, MI, Board of Commissioners Chair Dave Woodward, D-Royal Oak, is facing a recall effort because he didn’t disclose a free trip he took to visit Flock’s headquarters.
These debates are leading to change. In Harrisburg, VA, a member of DeFlock Harrisburg reported several wins for the movement, including stronger public awareness and thousands of signatures on petitions. In Longmont, CO, (where Flock cameras were recently replaced by Axon cameras), Andrew Palmer, a resident-turned-activist explained how local residents do have the power to enact change:
“I have found that I’ve had a much greater impact than I thought I would…One visit with a city council member, one email, one time attending one of these meetings can be hugely impactful.”
For any new activists in this space (all of us?): The Electronic Frontier Foundation provided an explanation of some ways to determine if your local police department runs their data against the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) “Immigration Violator” hotlist, which is a hotlist populated exclusively by ICE. Follow the steps to check your town now! (And if you find something unsavory, reach out to your municipality about your concerns. See our tips to guide your conversation here.)
We saved the best for last: cancellations and/or removals! Let’s give a hearty round of applause to Edmonds, WA; Appleton, WI; Ashland, WI; Bandera, TX (this one happened a while ago, but we missed it!), and Framingham, MA!
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The progress we’ve seen in public awareness, regulatory efforts, and contract cancellations hasn’t let up. And while we are feeling optimistic, the job is certainly not done. Flock’s attempts to maintain and expand their customer base have not let up either. As we’ve reported, Flock reps have been attending local government meetings with their well-rehearsed (but somehow still lacking) sales pitches and bandaid fixes. Additionally, while contract cancellations are a great outcome, the next step that’s sorely needed is democratic oversight of these AI surveillance systems to prevent another company from setting up shop and doing the same thing. We hope this news helps you pay attention to the nationwide trends, so that if/when this issue comes up in your city or town, you will feel empowered to tackle it head-on!
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