*Flock Safety is facing mounting scrutiny after allegations that police officers have used its license plate reader technology to track people for personal reasons, Axios reports.
The controversy has added fuel to a growing national debate over how much vehicle-location data law enforcement should be able to collect and access. Flock says its network includes more than 120,000 cameras across the country, while critics argue the technology creates a far-reaching surveillance system.
Recent investigations are shining a spotlight on how easily the technology can be abused. Officials in three Arizona cities are now reviewing cases where officers allegedly misused Flock cameras, including one incident in which an officer reportedly used the system to track his own wife.
In Reynoldsburg, Ohio, two officers resigned after an internal probe revealed that one of them ran more than 40 searches while tailing a former domestic partner.
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The backlash has also led some communities to reconsider whether they want the cameras. Lago Vista, Texas, recently voted unanimously to end its Flock contract, while Denver ended its agreement earlier this year.
Flock responded to the criticism by announcing changes intended to increase oversight. The company said misuse detection will become mandatory for customers and that default data storage will drop from 30 days to seven days in some locations, according to Flock Safety.
Privacy advocates remain skeptical of the changes. DeFlock, an organization that tracks communities rejecting Flock cameras, pushed back against the company’s approach, stating, “No guardrails. No regulations. No ‘only if they really need to’ pinky promises. It’s a 4th amendment violation. Full Stop. They are coming down.”
Flock says its technology contributed to roughly 1 million police investigations last year and helped locate about 10,000 missing people
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