Flock Safety tightens controls on police surveillance data amid misuse allegations

Flock Safety has implemented stricter controls on its surveillance network to curb alleged misuse by law enforcement, introducing mandatory audit features and reducing data retention periods for new customers. The move follows years of allegations that officers used the technology to stalk individuals and spy on private citizens, prompting a significant shift in the company’s operational stance.

Under the new protocols, the platform’s Audit Assistance feature, previously optional, is now compulsory. This system flags abnormal search behaviour and automatically locks out suspicious users pending administrator review. Additionally, police officers must enter specific case codes to execute searches, a measure designed to limit personal queries, although administrators retain the ability to override these codes in certain scenarios.

The company is also shortening the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) data retention period from 30 days to one week for new customers. Exceptions remain for active investigations stored in cold storage. Existing customers are exempt from this change and may retain their current, democratically approved retention periods, a distinction that highlights the fragmented nature of the company’s rollout.

CEO Garrett Langley acknowledged the company’s previous failures, apologising for past combative language directed at critics. Langley, who previously described a tracking website as terroristic, stated that the changes were a response to listening to communities and customers. He admitted the company got aspects of privacy and accountability wrong, stating, "I think that's right, and we got this one wrong."

These reforms arrive amidst severe public backlash and vandalism of Flock cameras across the United States. Allegations have surfaced that data was used to track individuals seeking abortions and those travelling for legal marijuana purchases. Furthermore, reports indicate data sharing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), contributing to severed ties with major agencies such as the Los Angeles Police Department and the destruction of camera stock in towns like one in Minnesota.

Critics, including the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have long accused the company of misleading the public about the capabilities of its cameras, arguing they function as more than simple license plate readers. While the new measures aim to prevent officer misuse, they do not address broader concerns regarding data privacy, inter-agency sharing, and the fundamental scope of the surveillance network.

The changes come as Flock Safety approaches its tenth anniversary, with Langley noting it took longer than expected to realise the sheer impact of the company’s technology. As communities continue to remove cameras and agencies distance themselves from the platform, the new controls represent an attempt to stabilise the company’s relationship with law enforcement and the public.