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Flock cameras losing value to police
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Wisconsin cities flee Flock cameras, shrinking its shared network.
The network's value drops as more agencies cancel, hurting police utility.
Background
Flock Safety's license plate reader cameras have faced backlash over privacy concerns and misuse by police, including stalking. As cities cancel contracts, the shared network loses value because it relies on access to cameras across jurisdictions. This has led to a cascade of cancellations, reducing the system's usefulness to remaining users.
How it unfolded
- May 15, 2026McFarland, Wisconsin announced it would not deploy Flock cameras due to shrinking database in Dane County and resident input.
- Aug 12, 2026Law enforcement in California expressed fears of losing Flock cameras amid backlash, with LAPD facing criticism from Mayor Bass.
- Aug 13, 2026Flock CEO announced mandatory auditing features and retention limits; ACLU called changes 'retreads'.
- Aug 14, 2026Sherburne County, Minnesota joined communities parting with Flock cameras.
- Aug 18, 2026Rhode Island Governor ordered 60-day pause on new Flock installations; several towns canceled or paused contracts.
- Aug 19, 2026Futurism reported that Flock's network is losing value as more cameras go offline.
Who’s saying what
- Support
- Police credit Flock as an important crime-fighting tool that helps locate missing people and track suspects.
- Caution
- Privacy advocates and community members express concerns about warrantless mass surveillance and potential misuse.
- Official
- Flock CEO Garrett Langley called misuse 'completely unacceptable' and announced new auditing controls.
- Critics
- ACLU and other critics say the changes are 'window dressing' and don't adequately address abuse.
Still unverified
The exact number of cameras currently offline is not specified in the material.