10+ Governments Drop Flock Safety Cameras Over Privacy
Original: At least 10 local governments have moved to drop Flock’s surveillance cameras since summer
Why This Matters
Public resistance to AI surveillance is now translating into concrete policy reversals at scale.
At least 10 U.S. local governments and police departments have moved to end or restrict Flock Safety contracts since summer 2026, citing mass surveillance fears, data-sharing concerns, and misuse incidents.
Flock Safety, founded in 2017, operates over 100,000 cameras nationwide — license plate readers, drones, and gunshot-detecting microphones — marketed as crime-solving tools. But a wave of contract terminations has hit the company since summer 2026. Monroe (Ohio), Newburgh (NY), Richmond (VA), Hopkinton, New Bedford, and Lansing have all moved to exit their Flock agreements. East Bridgewater and Grafton (Massachusetts) police announced plans to follow. Most recently, League City, Texas residents voted to remove Flock's plate readers outright. Earlier exits include Asheville (NC) in August and El Paso County, Colorado in September, where Sheriff Joseph Roybal stated his office has 'the tools, training, and experience to locate and apprehend criminals without relying on Flock cameras.' At the state level, Florida barred plate readers from state highways, while Texas paused state funding for Flock. Concerns span data privacy, third-party data sharing, procurement irregularities, and documented misuse — including an August case where a Brentwood, Missouri officer allegedly used Flock cameras to stalk his ex-wife. Tatiana Rice of The Future of Privacy Forum told TechCrunch the backlash reflects broader public skepticism: 'A camera at the end of your street is tangible in a way that everyday sharing and selling of personal data online is not.'