Flock Safety cameras cover 20% of U.S. households

Flock Safety, a surveillance equipment company, says it now works with more than 5,000 law enforcement partners in 6,000 communities across the U.S. The company’s latest tool, a public map called Flock Camera, lets residents see exactly how many of its license-plate readers are operating near their homes.

The rapid expansion tracks with a sharp rise in local police use of automated surveillance. Since 2018, Flock Safety has grown from a handful of contracts to covering an estimated 20 percent of households nationwide. The company argues its cameras help solve violent crime and recover stolen cars. Critics say the network normalizes mass tracking without broad public debate or clear limits on data retention.

The new map confirms earlier reporting from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU that Flock’s devices are concentrated in southern and Midwestern suburbs rather than big coastal cities. In Texas alone, nearly 1,200 agencies have signed on. Privacy advocates point to a 2023 Georgetown Law study that found only 8 percent of communities with license-plate readers have published clear rules for how long footage can be stored.

City councils in Portland, Oregon and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania have already moved to block Flock devices, citing surveillance creep. In response, Flock has begun offering “opt-out” stickers for residents who want to blur their license plates. Lawmakers in at least six states have introduced bills that would require annual public audits of any automated license-plate reader program. The company says it welcomes regulation, but argues the maps will help communities make informed choices about safety versus privacy.