A leading U.S. surveillance company claims that removing its cameras undermines public safety, as cities increasingly reject the technology despite promises of reduced crime.
The largest surveillance company in the United States states it is under coordinated attack from activists who seek to defund law enforcement.
Citizens can now view a comprehensive map of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras deployed across the country. Nearly 100,000 units are installed nationwide, with DeFlock Maps indicating just over 97,000 devices in operation—80,000 or more from Flock Safety.
Based in Atlanta and employing approximately 1,500 people, Flock Safety has built a network that claims to reduce crime. The company reports being trusted by more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies, citing a 56% year-over-year crime reduction in one California city and a 52% drop in robberies in Cobb County, Georgia.
These solar-powered, AI-driven cameras are designed for connected networks that enable police to identify suspects and vehicles across stores, parking lots, and streets—allegedly improving crime resolution.
However, several cities have terminated contracts with Flock Safety due to privacy concerns. In addition to Bend, Oregon, where a report on surveillance capabilities was published, Charlottesville and Staunton, Virginia, both ended partnerships.
Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis described receiving an email from Flock that he labeled “pouting.” He stated: “I looked at it and just, honestly, chalked it up to an unprofessional email from a venting CEO. I just ignored it.”
Staunton Police Chief Jim Williams shared an email from Flock CEO Garrett Langley, which declared the company and its law enforcement partners are under “coordinated attack” by activist groups targeting police funding, public safety, and law order.
Langley wrote that these groups were behind critical YouTube videos and misleading headlines. The letter, dated December 8, 2025, prompted Williams to respond within four days: “As far as your assertion that we are currently under attack, I do not believe that is so. What we are seeing here is a group of local citizens raising concerns that we could be potentially surveilling private citizens and using data for nefarious purposes.”
Just one week later, Staunton terminated its contract with Flock.
Langley has argued that cities voting to exclude Flock Safety will hinder gun crime prevention, citing a Mississippi city that reported a 79% drop in violent crime and a 90% reduction in homicides within a year.
The ACLU previously raised concerns about Flock’s infrastructure, stating last August it was building a “dangerous nationwide mass-surveillance system.”
On social media, Langley challenged critics: “When the loudest voices tell you to vote Flock out of your community, ask yourself: are they also the ones outraged by gun violence when a shooting occurs, or in this case 12?”
