Flock Safety Stock Faces Backlash as 20+ Jurisdictions Ditch Cameras in July

Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based surveillance company operating over 120,000 automated license plate reader cameras nationwide, is hemorrhaging customers. More than 20 jurisdictions terminated contracts in July 2026 alone, the highest monthly exodus since tracking began in 2021. The exodus follows reports of police officers misusing the system to stalk and harass individuals, prompting CEO Garrett Langley to announce new privacy controls on August 13.

Why jurisdictions are pulling the plug

Hood County, Texas shut down its entire Flock network after County Constable John D. Shirley called the cameras “warrantless surveillance.” Minnesota cities reported similar action: Winona police said eight Flock cameras were cut down and stolen and will not be replaced. Sherburne County and Columbia Heights also ended their use. Asheville, North Carolina operates 60+ cameras but faces growing local opposition. The wave reflects a shift in public sentiment against mass surveillance infrastructure.

Police misuse cases fuel the backlash

Dozens of law enforcement officers have been accused of using Flock data to stalk and harass individuals. A Kansas police chief was caught logging false reasons to search the database for information on his ex-partner. These cases prompted CEO Langley to issue a public apology on CBS News. “I apologize. It kills me that [the victim] went through that,” Langley said, acknowledging “we could have done more earlier.” The misuse cases became the primary driver of the national backlash.

Flock’s new privacy guardrails fall short, critics say

On August 13, Flock announced sweeping policy changes: reducing default data retention from 30 days to 7 days, requiring case codes for all searches, and implementing an automated tool to flag suspicious search activity. However, privacy advocates dismissed the moves as insufficient. Michael Soyfer, attorney with the Institute for Justice, called the changes “pretty much just window dressing.” The ACLU called the shortened retention period “a step in the right direction” but warned the true impact depends on how long-term storage exceptions are implemented. Soyfer told The Hill the policy shift is “really just an effort, as the tide has turned on them, to quiet down all of the legislative and public opposition.”

What Flock cameras actually record

Flock operates automated license plate readers mounted on poles, streetlights, and police vehicles. The cameras photograph passing cars and create what the company calls a “vehicle signature” by recording the license plate, make, model, color, bumper stickers, decals, and accessories. Flock does not use facial recognition or biometric data. Andrew Crocker, surveillance litigation director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned that a network of ALPR cameras can reveal where you have gone over time and “reveal lots of things, intimate, private things about your life.” A website called Have I Been Flocked allows drivers to search their license plate number to see if Flock has captured their vehicle.

Final Thoughts

Flock Safety faces a structural crisis as jurisdictions vote with their feet. New privacy policies may slow the exodus but do not address the core tension between mass surveillance and civil liberties. Investors should monitor contract terminations closely.

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