Flock cameras are getting mobbed nationwide

Flock Safety’s camera network has sparked a wave of resistance across the United States, escalating from vandalism—such as people cutting cameras with an electric saw in upstate New York, throwing paint in Oakland, California, and ramming a truck into units in Idaho—to public attempts to block views, including a man in Florida holding cardboard on a pole. Several city governments have also responded by deactivating Flock cameras or canceling contracts in Fort Collins, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; Madison, Wisconsin; Knoxville, Tennessee; Syracuse, New York; and Walla Walla, Washington. Flock says it operates 120,000 automated license plate readers and PTZ cameras nationwide, generating tens of billions of data points monthly. CEO Garrett Langley says the system balances safety and privacy, but police misuse and reporting about tracking beyond vehicles have fueled criticism.