Flock Safety: Difference between revisions

As of mid-2025, independent reporting and public records indicate the Flock network comprised more than 80,000 AI-enabled cameras nationwide.<ref name="Koebler2025">{{cite web |last=Koebler |first=Jason |date=2025-08-25 |title=CBP Had Access to More than 80,000 Flock AI Cameras Nationwide |url=https://www.404media.co/cbp-had-access-to-more-than-80-000-flock-ai-cameras-nationwide/ |access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref>  Flock’s materials state deployments in roughly 5,000 communities and the company reports the system processes "over 20 billion" vehicle scans per month; these latter two figures are company-provided and should be read as Flock’s claims rather than independently verified totals.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-05-28 |title=City Leaders Choose Flock Safety: A Proven, Community-Focused Public Safety Solution |url=https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/city-leaders-choose-flock-safety-a-proven-community-focused-public-safety-solution |website=Flock Safety |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Real-Time Vehicle Leads, Nationwide |url=https://www.flocksafety.com/products/national-lpr-network |website=Flock Safety |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{cite web |title=FlockOS |url=https://www.flocksafety.com/products/flock-os |url-status=live |accessdate=2025-12-01 |website=Flock Safety}}</ref>  

The company reported surpassing roughly $300 million in annual recurring revenue, and in March 2025 closed a $275 million funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz that independent reporting estimated valued the company at about $7.5 billion.<ref name="FlockFunding" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Hu |first=Crystal |date=2025-03-13 |title=US startup Flock Safety raises $275 million to fund manufacturing plant, R&D |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-startup-flock-safety-raises-275-million-fund-manufacturing-plant-rd-2025-03-13/ |website=Reuters |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Accelerating Innovation: Flock Secures $275 Million to Advance Crime-Solving Technology |url=https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-safety-secures-major-funding |website=Flock Safety |date=2025-03-13 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref> As of 2025, the company has raised a total of $957.5 million in funding.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flock Safety: 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/10/flock-safety-cnbc-disruptor-50.html |website=CNBC}}</ref>

Critics, including civil liberties organizations, argue that Flock's mass surveillance network violates privacy rights and represents a form of constant public monitoring that differs fundamentally from traditional, fleeting police observation.<ref name="ACLUStanley">{{Cite web |last=Stanley |first=Jay |title=Flock's Aggressive Expansions Go Far Beyond Simple Driver Surveillance |url=https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/flock-roundup |website=American Civil Liberties Union}}</ref> A lawsuit filed in 2024 challenges the constitutionality of warrantless searches of ALPR databases; courts have split on the issue in different jurisdictions and rulings continue to be appealed. For example, a federal complaint in Schmidt v. City of Norfolk (E.D. Va.) alleges repeated location logging by ALPRs, while appellate activity in related Virginia cases continued into 2025; readers should consult the cited court documents and reporting for developments.<ref>{{cite web |last=Collier |first=Kevin |date=2025-09-18 |title=Police cameras tracked one driver 526 times in four months, lawsuit says |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/virginia-police-used-flock-cameras-track-driver-safety-lawsuit-surveil-rcna230399 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Flock Applauds Virginia Court of Appeals Ruling Affirming Constitutionality of LPR Cameras |url=https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-applauds-virginia-court-of-appeals-ruling-affirming-constitutionality-of-lpr-cameras |date=2025-10-14 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref> The system offers no public opt-out mechanism.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |date=2025-10-21 |title=Leaving the Door Wide Open: Flock Surveillance Systems Expose Washington Data to Immigration Enforcement |url=https://jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/2025/10/21/leaving-the-door-wide-open/ |accessdate=2025-10-30 |website=University of Washington Center for Human Rights}}</ref> This raised concerns about the potential for misuse, profiling, and long-term monitoring of individuals and their associations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamid |first=Sarah |last2=Alajaji |first2=Rindala |date=27 Jun 2025 |title=Flock Safety's Feature Updates Cannot Make Automated License Plate Readers Safe |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/flock-safetys-feature-updates-cannot-make-automated-license-plate-readers-safe |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}</ref>

*Expanded audio surveillance: In 2025, Flock announced that its Raven gunshot detection systems would begin listening for "human distress" sounds like screaming, expanding beyond gunshot detection to voice monitoring.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guariglia |first=Matthew |date=2025-10-02 |title=Flock's Gunshot Detection Microphones Will Start Listening for Human Voices |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/flocks-gunshot-detection-microphones-will-start-listening-human-voices |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}</ref>

*Immigration enforcement: Research from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights documented systematic access to Flock data by federal immigration authorities, often in violation of state laws.<ref name=":0" /> This occurred through three methods: "front door" access where agencies directly shared data with Border Patrol; "back door" access via a default "National Lookup" setting that granted federal access without explicit local authorization; and "side door" searches where local officers ran searches on behalf of ICE.<ref name=":0" />

Flock initially focused on homeowners associations—which still account for roughly 40% of its business—before expanding rapidly into law enforcement and enterprise sectors, illustrating a “land-and-expand” growth strategy.<ref name="Sacra" /> Major venture capital firms have invested heavily, signaling strong market confidence. In March 2025, a funding round of $275 million was led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Greenoaks Capital, Bedrock Capital, and Tiger Global, among others, valuing the company at $7.5 billion.<ref name="FlockFunding" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Wilson Sonsini Advises Flock Safety on $275 Million Financing |url=https://www.wsgr.com/en/insights/wilson-sonsini-advises-flock-safety-on-dollar275-million-financing.html |publisher=Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati |date=2025-03-14 |accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref> Major corporate clients include retailers like Lowe's and FedEx, mall operator Simon Property Group, and healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brewster |first=Thomas |date=2024-05-06 |title=America's Biggest Mall Owner Is Sharing AI Surveillance Feeds Directly With Cops |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2024/05/06/simon-property-and-flock-safety-feed-ai-surveillance-feeds-to-the-cops/ |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brewster |first=Thomas |date=2024-06-26 |title=FedEx's Secretive Police Force Is Helping Cops Build An AI Car Surveillance Network |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2024/06/26/fedex-police-ai-car-surveillance-network-flock-safety/ |website=Forbes}}</ref>

The company's expansion is fueled by strategic acquisitions and infrastructure investment. Following its acquisition of Aerodome, Flock Safety is building a 100,000-square-foot U.S. manufacturing facility for drone production.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Flock Safety: 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/10/flock-safety-cnbc-disruptor-50.html |publisher=CNBC |date=2025-06-10 |accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref>

Specific product models include the Falcon and Sparrow license plate readers and the Raven gunshot detection system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Katz-Lecabe |first=Mike |date=2022-04-01 |title=Dissection of Flock Safety Camera |url=https://www.chrp.org/blog/dissection-of-flock-safety-camera |website=The Center for Human Rights and Privacy}}</ref> Flock's software integrates with police vehicle systems, including widely-used Axon dashcams.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Axon Partners with Flock Safety to Enhance Security for Cities and Neighborhoods |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/axon-partners-with-flock-safety-to-enhance-security-for-cities-and-neighborhoods-302036099.html |website=PR Newswire}}</ref>

The software platform includes FlockOS, a real-time crime center platform that allows users to view maps and geographic data, body camera and drone feeds, 911 call data, and traffic camera and acoustic sensor data.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-05 |title=The Evolution of FlockOS: How Customer Feedback Continues to Shape the Future |url=https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/the-evolution-of-flockos-how-customer-feedback-continues-to-shape-the-future |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-01 |website=Flock Safety Blog}}</ref> FlockOS allows for the National LPR Network, a nationwide database for sharing and searching LPR data across jurisdictions;<ref name=":2" /> and Flock Nova, a data analytics platform integrating LPR data with law enforcement systems like RMS and CAD to identify patterns.<ref name=":2" />

In September 2025, Columbine Valley Police Sgt. Jamie Milliman wrongfully accused Denver resident Chrisanna Elser of package theft, relying exclusively on Flock Safety license plate reader data that placed her vehicle in Bow Mar during the theft.<ref name=":5">{{cite web | title=Police used Flock cameras to accuse a Denver woman of package theft. She had her own evidence | website=Denverite | date=2025-10-28 | url=https://denverite.com/2025/10/27/bow-mar-flock-cameras-accusation/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref> The officer asserted "zero doubt" about her guilt, telling her verbatim, "It is locked in. There is zero doubt. I wouldn't have come here unless I was 100% sure," and bragged about the extensive surveillance network, stating "you can't get a breath of fresh air, in or out of that place, without us knowing."<ref name=":6">{{cite web | title=After police used Flock cameras to accuse a Denver woman of theft, she had to prove her own innocence | website=The Colorado Sun | date=2025-10-28 | url=https://coloradosun.com/2025/10/28/flock-camera-police-colorado-columbine-valley/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref> When Elser denied the accusation, Milliman refused to show her the supposed evidence, stating "You have not been honest with me, so I'm not going to extend you any courtesy of showing you a video when I don't need to."<ref>{{cite web | title=Police use Flock cameras to wrongfully accuse Denver woman of theft | website=KDVR | date=2025-10-28 | url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/police-use-flock-cameras-to-wrongfully-accuse-denver-woman-of-theft/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref> Elser was forced to compile extensive exculpatory evidence including dashcam footage, Google Timeline data, witness statements, and surveillance images from her tailor, ultimately submitting a 7-page affidavit and voluminous Google Drive folder to prove her innocence.<ref name=":5" /> The summons was only voided after Police Chief Bret Cottrell reviewed her evidence, writing "After reviewing the evidence you have provided (nicely done btw), we have voided the summons that was issued," though no apology or explanation was provided by the department.<ref name=":6" /> This incident raises serious concerns about Flock's role in creating a surveillance state where citizens are presumed guilty until proving their innocence.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston unilaterally renewed the city's contract with Flock Safety through an emergency executive order just hours before a town hall protest, after the Denver City Council had unanimously rejected the contract 12-0.<ref name="cbsdenver">{{cite web | title=Some on the Denver City Council upset after Mayor Mike Johnston moves forward with controversial Flock cameras | website=CBS News Colorado | date=2025-10-23 | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/flock-camera-denver-city-council-mayor/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref><ref name="coloradopolitics">{{cite web | title=Anger grows as Denver mayor extends Flock camera contract | website=Colorado Politics | date=2025-10-23 | url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2025/10/23/anger-grows-as-denver-mayor-extends-flock-camera-contract/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref> The council's rejection was due to a lack of guardrails around data access and privacy concerns.<ref name="cbsdenver" /> The mayor's move, described by Councilwoman Shontel Lewis as "'king' behavior," bypassed democratic process and sparked immediate public backlash.<ref name="cbsdenver" /> A town hall protest organized by consumer advocate Louis Rossmann drew close to 700 attendees, filling a main conference room and overflow spaces.<ref name="coloradopolitics" /><ref name=":7" /> Rossmann has also published a guide for residents to oppose the cameras.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2025-10-20 |title=A guide to de‑flocking Denver: here's EXACTLY what you need to do, step‑by‑step. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxJIp_4RaWk |archive-date= |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=YouTube |type=Video}}</ref> The new, no-cost five-month extension included new safeguards, such as a $100,000 fine on Flock for any unauthorized data sharing and cutting off access for all jurisdictions outside of the Denver Police Department.<ref name="cbsdenver" /><ref name="coloradopolitics" /> The mayor's office cited the technology's role in recovering stolen vehicles and solving homicides, while critics remained concerned about executive overreach and the system's potential for misuse.<ref name="cbsdenver" /><ref name="coloradopolitics" />

Federal immigration enforcement agencies systematically accessed Flock's license plate data through multiple methods despite state laws prohibiting such sharing.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Koebler | first1=Jason | last2=Cox | first2=Joseph | title=ICE Taps into Nationwide AI-Enabled Camera Network, Data Shows | website=404 Media | date=2025-05-27 | url=https://www.404media.co/ice-taps-into-nationwide-ai-enabled-camera-network-data-shows/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref> This included direct "front door" access where at least eight Washington law enforcement agencies enabled 1:1 data sharing with U.S. Border Patrol,<ref name=":0" /> "back door" access where Border Patrol searched data from at least ten Washington police departments without explicit authorization,<ref name=":0" /> and "side door" searches where local officers conducted searches on behalf of ICE, visible only when officers typed reasons like "ICE" into search fields.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Koebler | first1=Jason | title=CBP Had Access to More than 80,000 Flock AI Cameras Nationwide | website=404 Media | date=2025-08-25 | url=https://www.404media.co/cbp-had-access-to-more-than-80-000-flock-ai-cameras-nationwide/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref> Internal Flock data revealed CBP had access to more than 80,000 cameras nationwide, with searches conducted in multiple states in potential violation of state sanctuary laws.<ref>{{cite web | title=License plate camera company halts cooperation with federal agencies among investigation concerns | website=ABC7 Chicago | date=2025-08-26 | url=https://abc7.com/post/flock-safety-license-plate-camera-company-halts-cooperation-federal-agencies-among-investigation-concerns-including-il/17653876/ | accessdate=2025-10-30}}</ref>

*Side door searches: Law enforcement officers conducted searches on behalf of ICE, visible only when officers typed reasons like "ICE" or "illegal immigration" into search fields.<ref name=":0" /> A public interest law firm noted Flock's pause of direct federal access does little to prevent this workaround, as "federal law enforcement cannot directly access this trove of information, they can just ask other Flock customers to run searches or share log-in information."<ref name="ij">{{cite web | title=Public Interest Law Firm Responds to Flock Safety Pausing Federal Access to License Plate Reader Cameras | website=Institute for Justice | date=2025-08-26 | url=https://ij.org/press-release/public-interest-law-firm-responds-to-flock-safety-pausing-federal-access-to-license-plate-reader-cameras/ | accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref>

Multiple independent user reviews on Trustpilot and reporting from legal advocacy groups detail a range of consumer complaints against Flock Safety. These issues span predatory billing practices, unreliable hardware, inadequate customer support, and concerns over the value and ethics of the service.

*Predatory billing and contract issues: Customers report aggressive auto-renewal practices. One review alleges the company sent termination notices to the incorrect party and then enforced an auto-renewed two-year contract for nearly $10,000, demanding payment because the customer did not provide a 30-day termination notice.<ref name="trustpilot">{{cite web | title=Flock Safety Reviews | website=Trustpilot | url=https://www.trustpilot.com/review/flocksafety.com | accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref> Another customer claimed the company would not provide a refund for cameras they found to be useless, describing the system as a "rip off."<ref name="trustpilot" />  The Institute for Justice has raised concerns that Flock tries to "lock customers into its products."<ref name="ij">{{cite web | title=Public Interest Law Firm Responds to Flock Safety Pausing Federal Access to License Plate Reader Cameras | website=Institute for Justice | date=2025-08-26 | url=https://ij.org/press-release/public-interest-law-firm-responds-to-flock-safety-pausing-federal-access-to-license-plate-reader-cameras/ | accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref>

*Inadequate customer support: There are numerous complaints about poor customer service, particularly for smaller communities and organizations. One reviewer felt that the company is "focused on big city/county government contracts" and that "little guys are at the back of the line for support."<ref name="trustpilot" /> The company's profile on Trustpilot indicates that it has not replied to negative reviews.<ref name="trustpilot" />

*High cost and poor value: Customers question the value of the service given its high annual cost. Reviews mention annual costs of $4,000 to $4,700 for a single camera, with one customer paying $8,700 over two years for a system they found ineffective.<ref name="trustpilot" /> Forbes reports that a single Flock license plate reader camera costs between $3,000 and $3,500, with additional fees for the FlockOS subscription.<ref name=":4" />

*Ethical and legal concerns: Some criticisms extend beyond business practices to the product's societal impact. One review labeled Flock a "profoundly immoral company" that provides governments with the means to violate Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.<ref name="trustpilot" /> Major civil liberties organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have published analyses raising significant privacy and Fourth Amendment concerns about the technology.<ref>{{cite web | last=Stanley | first=Jay | title=Flock's Aggressive Expansions Go Far Beyond Simple Driver Surveillance | website=ACLU | date=2025-10-28 | url=https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/flock-roundup | accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref> The ACLU has also published analyses raising significant privacy concerns about the technology.<ref>{{cite web | title=Flock Can Share Driver-Surveillance Data Even When Police Departments Opt Out, And Other Flock Developments | website=ACLU | date=2025-10-07 | url=https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/flock-massachusetts-and-updates | accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref>

A lawsuit in Norfolk, VA, revealed that the city's ALPR system has logged the location of a plaintiff's vehicle 526 times in 4 months.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collier |first=Kevin |date=2025-09-18 |title=Police cameras tracked one driver 526 times in four months, lawsuit says |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/virginia-police-used-flock-cameras-track-driver-safety-lawsuit-surveil-rcna230399 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251008230235/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/virginia-police-used-flock-cameras-track-driver-safety-lawsuit-surveil-rcna230399 |archive-date=2025-10-08 |access-date=2025-10-26 |website=NBC News}}</ref> The second plaintiff in the case had their vehicle's position logged 849 times in a similar time period. The ALPR system is provided by Flock to Norfolk Police Department, in a deal costing $2.2m, in return for Flock providing services through to the end of 2027. The camera installation began in 2023 and at present there are 176 cameras around the city. The lawsuit is asking for the plaintiff's data to be deleted and the cameras disabled, arguing that these are an infringement of the Fourth Amendment and constitute a warrantless search. Flock counters this assertion by claiming that "LPRs do not constitute a warrantless search because they take point-in-time photos of cars in public and cannot continuously track the movements of any individual." This legal position was supported by a ruling from the Virginia Court of Appeals in October 2025, which reversed a lower court and found that warrantless use of Flock's system does not violate the Fourth Amendment.<ref>{{cite web | title=Flock Applauds Virginia Court of Appeals Ruling Affirming Constitutionality of LPR Cameras | website=Flock Safety | date=2025-10-14 | url=https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-applauds-virginia-court-of-appeals-ruling-affirming-constitutionality-of-lpr-cameras | accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref>

Legal commentators have treated the ruling as a persuasive decision supporting warrantless searches of ALPR/Flock databases in that jurisdiction, but it remains a district-court decision and not binding precedent outside the Eastern District of Virginia; courts in other jurisdictions have reached different conclusions on warrant requirements for ALPR searches.<ref>{{cite web |last=Grosdidier |first=Pierre |title=Authorities can search Flock databases without a warrant |url=https://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?ContentID=67513 |website=Texas Bar Journal |date=2025-04 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref>

Multiple public-records disputes over Flock camera data have led to litigation in Washington. In one high-profile example, the Cities of Sedro-Woolley and Stanwood filed a declaratory-judgment action in Skagit County (Case No. 25-2-00717-29), asking a court to declare that images and data stored in Flock’s AWS cloud are not “public records” under the Washington Public Records Act unless and until a public agency accesses and downloads them.<ref>{{cite web |title=City of Sedro-Woolley and City of Stanwood v. Jose Rodriguez — Complaint for Declaratory Judgment |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/901263718/City-of-Sedro-Woolley-v-Jose-Rodriguez-Complaint-for-Declaratory-Judgement |website=Scribd (court filing) |date=2025 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref> The dispute became contested in multiple forums after the requester filed his own suit or responsive filings alleging the cities violated the PRA; while the litigation proceeds, some municipalities have paused or disabled Flock camera deployments pending a judicial ruling on whether the raw images/data must be released as public records.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stanwood pauses Flock cameras amid public records lawsuits |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/stanwood-pauses-flock-cameras-amid-public-records-lawsuits/ |website=HeraldNet |date=2025-09-10 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref>

For coverage and context. see reporting on the trial-court suppression and the later appellate reversal.<ref>{{cite web |last=King |first=Katie |title=Norfolk judge rejects police Flock camera evidence without warrant |url=https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/virginia-judge-rejects-alpr-evidence-without-warrant |website=GovTech |date=2024-06-17 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Flock Applauds Virginia Court of Appeals Ruling Affirming Constitutionality of LPR Cameras |url=https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-applauds-virginia-court-of-appeals-ruling-affirming-constitutionality-of-lpr-cameras |website=Flock Safety |date=2025-10-14 |accessdate=2025-10-29}}</ref>