Flock is making changes after public backlash and 'arrests of several law enforcement officers'

Flock Safety is tightening privacy and accountability safeguards for law enforcement access to its camera network after public backlash and media scrutiny over how the system surveils drivers. In a Thursday blog post, CEO Garrett Langley said the company is shortening the recommended default retention period for license plate data from 30 days to 7 days. It also stated existing customers can keep their “current, democratically approved retention periods.” Flock will require law enforcement customers to use a tool to flag potentially improper searches and, by the end of the year, to enter case codes for searches. The company says emergency searches can bypass case-code entry but will be flagged for administrator review.