Lawmakers and Cities Move to Restrict Flock Surveillance Technology

A bipartisan effort to restrict the surveillance company Flock Safety has intensified as federal lawmakers and local governments raise alarms over mass data collection. In Arizona, the cities of Tempe and Cave Creek deactivated their automated license plate reader systems on Wednesday, citing risks to civil liberties and concerns over networked data sharing.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the technology during a press conference in Miami, warning that the system has gotten "out of control." While supporting tools to catch criminals, DeSantis cautioned against the creation of a "surveillance state" and cited instances of officers using the tech to track ex-partners. Despite these warnings, his administration previously approved $2.5 million in grants for Flock cameras, and the Florida Highway Patrol used the network for immigration control operations in early 2025.

At the federal level, Senator Josh Hawley launched a formal investigation into Flock's data dissemination, requiring the company to submit documents by September 8. Senator Bernie Sanders also pledged to introduce legislation targeting AI mass surveillance. Flock Safety defended its technology, arguing that removing tools used to solve violent crimes and find missing people causes public safety to move backward. The company has since reduced its default data retention window to seven days and stated it will cooperate with the Senate investigation.