FBI Director and Local Police Defend Flock Surveillance Cameras

FBI Director Kash Patel defended the use of Flock license plate recognition cameras during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on September 15, 2026. Responding to privacy concerns from Senator John Cornyn, Patel described the technology as a crucial tool for law enforcement, citing its use in recovering victims of kidnapping and child exploitation. He specifically noted the agency's efforts to identify the Brown University shooter, though he admitted that facial recognition was not possible because "the cameras weren’t great up there in Brown University."

Simultaneously, local officials in Bradley, Illinois, and Davison Township, Michigan, faced similar scrutiny from residents during board meetings. In Davison Township, Police Chief Jay Rendon called the cameras the greatest law enforcement tool in a century, highlighting a case where the system led to the immediate arrest of a child sexual assault suspect. Flock Safety representative Mike Lampman told residents that the company acts only as a data custodian and that local police departments maintain oversight to customize guidelines for their communities.

While officials emphasized the investigative benefits and data safeguards, critics raised alarms over potential data hacks, the sale of information, and reports of officers using the systems to stalk romantic partners. Patel argued that the FBI partners with towns on a case-by-case basis and that cameras are placed where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.