The key facts
- Flock CEO Garrett Langley: the company has not terminated a single police contract, but 'firing' a client is not ruled out in the event of a gross violation of the law
- Dozens of police officers have been arrested or fired for abusing access to Flock's national database
- A protest against AI surveillance took place outside the Moscone Center; Flock denies a direct contract with ICE and any intention to sell the company to Axon
Langley's statement at Disrupt 2026
Flock CEO Garrett Langley, in an interview with TechCrunch editor-in-chief Connie Loizos at the Disrupt 2026 conference in San Francisco, said the company has not terminated a single contract with clients over abuse of its products. The statement came amid a series of reports about dozens of police officers who were arrested, fired, or forced to resign after being caught abusing access to Flock's national license plate database, including to surveil people without authorization.
The company's position
Langley said Flock would sever ties with a client in the event of a clear and large-scale abuse of the system, but so far the company has not 'fired' a single client — police department or law enforcement agency. According to him, there were debates within the company, but he believes a product cannot be taken away from a community that may need it to fight crime. "If a client knowingly broke the law, we will fire them immediately. It's very simple," TechCrunch quoted Langley as saying. He added that most disputes boil down to the question "what if two out of fifty officers were caught?" and that 'firing' a client is not ruled out in the event of serious violations of the law.
Context: the cameras and the controversies around them
Flock, based in Atlanta, Georgia, has installed more than 100,000 license plate recognition cameras across the US. They allow local police departments and federal agencies to track the movements of cars and people. The ability to track plates outside their own jurisdiction gives departments access to Flock's nationwide central database. The company has become the subject of surveillance controversies: a number of cities and communities have terminated contracts or let them lapse over privacy concerns. There have also been reports that Flock reactivated cameras against clients' wishes; in some cases, residents covered cameras with trash bags or destroyed them.
Protest outside the conference venue
While Langley was speaking on stage, demonstrators gathered outside the Moscone Center in San Francisco protesting against Flock's AI surveillance. Some wore red robes from 'The Handmaid's Tale' and cardboard mock-ups of Flock cameras on their heads; behind them, excerpts from the film '1984' played over loudspeakers. Participants carried signs reading 'Flock off' and 'Flock = ICE'. According to TechCrunch, Flock has no direct contract with the immigration agency ICE, but reportedly it gained access to Flock data through cooperation with local police departments.
Critics' views and the company's response
Ashley Ortiz, an organizer with the local progressive activist group The Wolves, told TechCrunch she wants local lawmakers to take residents' concerns more seriously. "I think Flock will become the start of a big community unification, because we can rally around something as bipartisan as a dislike of mass surveillance," she said, noting that both Republicans and conservatives oppose AI surveillance. Asked what she would ask Langley, Ortiz replied: "What about AI mass surveillance is supposed to make us feel safe?" On stage, Langley countered that the license plate tracking system helps police solve more crimes faster, citing the example of a stolen car with a child in the back seat being quickly found.
Security complaints and the sale question
Flock has also been criticized for cybersecurity problems and camera accuracy issues that, according to reports, led to dozens of police stops and wrongful arrests, including that of a journalist driving a test vehicle. Some communities have replaced contracts with Flock with services from competitors, such as Axon, a maker of stun guns and police body cameras. Asked about a possible sale of the company to Axon, Langley replied: "No, we do not wish to sell the company."
