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At least 10 local governments have moved to drop Flock’s surveillance cameras since summer

SecurityNovember 6, 20261 min read

At least 10 U.S. local governments and police departments have moved to limit or end their use of Flock Safety surveillance cameras since summer. The move reflects growing worry about mass surveillance and data privacy.

Cities Are Dropping Flock Cameras

Many towns and police departments are stopping or limiting their use of Flock Safety tools. Places like Monroe, Ohio, Richmond, Virginia, and Lansing, Michigan, have moved to end their contracts. In League City, Texas, residents voted against keeping Flock's license plate readers, and those cameras are set to be removed.

Key Facts

At least 10 local governments and police departments have acted since this summer.
Monroe, Ohio; Newburgh, New York; Richmond, Virginia; Hopkinton, Massachusetts; New Bedford, Massachusetts; and Lansing, Michigan have all moved to end their Flock contracts in the past three months.
More than 100,000 Flock cameras are in use across the United States.
Florida barred license plate readers from state highways, and Texas paused state funding for Flock.

What Flock Sells

Flock Safety was founded in 2017. It sells surveillance tools such as license plate readers, drones, and devices that use microphones to pick up gunshots and other sounds. Police say these tools can help find missing people and stolen cars. Critics worry about privacy and about who can see the data.

Why This Matters

People are worried that cameras and data sharing could be misused. Some officers were accused or sentenced for using Flock to stalk people. Cities also worry that federal agencies such as ICE could use local camera data in ways they did not approve. Experts say this backlash is part of a wider public doubt about new technology.

Glossary

Flock Safety: A company that sells camera and sensor tools to police and local governments to help solve crimes.
license plate readers: Cameras that scan car license plates and record where cars are seen.
ICE: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency that enforces immigration laws.

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