EDITION OF NOVEMBER 6, 2026
Flock cameras: US local governments reassess surveillance
According to TechCrunch, at least 10 US local governments and police departments have taken steps since the summer to restrict or abandon Flock tools. These decisions raise concerns about privacy, data sharing and the conditions under which these surveillance systems are adopted.
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In the United States, local governments are questioning their use of Flock surveillance tools. The decisions documented by TechCrunch since the summer involve privacy protection, data access and oversight of public procurement. They show that the debate concerns rules of use as much as the equipment installed.
Flock surveillance cameras are facing a series of local challenges in the United States. In an article published on November 6, TechCrunch reports that at least 10 local governments and police departments have taken steps since the summer to limit, restrict or end their use. The reasons cited concern privacy, data sharing and public procurement procedures.
The movement encompasses different decisions. Monroe, Newburgh, Richmond, Hopkinton, New Bedford and Lansing have taken steps to end their contracts in recent months, according to the outlet. In League City, Texas, residents voted this week against continued police use of license plate readers; their removal is now planned. These examples do not, however, constitute a national tally of local governments retaining or abandoning this equipment.
Flock sells license plate readers, drones and acoustic devices designed to detect gunshots and other sounds, among other products. TechCrunch says more than 100,000 of the company's cameras are in use across the country. The debate therefore concerns infrastructure that is already widely installed, as well as the conditions under which the information collected can be accessed.
The concerns are not merely theoretical. The article reports that a Missouri police officer was accused in August of using the cameras to monitor his former wife during their divorce. It also mentions the September conviction of an East Texas police officer for using Flock to harass his former partner and her family. An accusation must be distinguished here from a conviction.
In its response to TechCrunch, Flock defends its tools' usefulness in solving crimes and finding missing people. The company says each customer owns its data and controls how it is shared. It also says it does not sell data and has no contract with ICE, the US immigration agency. These statements set out its position; they are insufficient to establish the system's effectiveness or resolve local disputes.
In August, Flock announced a reduction in the default retention period for new customers, from 30 days to seven days, along with a requirement to provide a case code before conducting a search. These adjustments address certain aspects of use. Local decisions suggest, however, that acceptance also depends on public oversight of procurement, access and permitted uses.