Flock Safety Cuts Data Retention Amid Police Misuse Scandal

Surveillance technology company Flock Safety announced updates to its privacy and data retention policies to address growing backlash over its network of 120,000 automated license plate readers across 49 states. The company shortened its recommended default data retention window from 30 to seven days and introduced an evidence mode to preserve specific data for active cases.

These changes follow a Washington Post investigation and reports that nearly 50 officers used the system for unauthorized tracking of romantic partners or family members, including six employees fired in Savannah, Georgia. In Wisconsin, an outdated alert resulted in a woman being stopped at gunpoint. To combat such misuse, Flock added audit assistance and proactive lockout features to flag abnormal user activity and now requires case codes for searches.

CEO Garrett Langley apologized for the misuse, stating, "I think of course, we could have done more earlier." Despite these safeguards, more than 50 agencies or communities have canceled or rejected Flock contracts since the start of 2026. The company also faces lawsuits in Norfolk, Virginia, and San Jose, California, where critics argue the technology enables mass surveillance.

Lawmakers in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Congress are pursuing legislation to restrict surveillance technology. Pennsylvania State Representative Jennifer O'Mara proposed statewide privacy and accountability requirements, noting that technology intended for community safety "should never become a tool for stalking or abuse."