Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, is introducing a bill that would withhold federal funding from local governments and police departments utilizing Flock Safety cameras. The announcement was made on Saturday by Massie, who stated the legislation aims to strengthen the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and government surveillance.
Flock Safety cameras are designed to track vehicles by identifying characteristics such as dents, bumper stickers, and roof racks. The Atlanta-based company has become a prevalent surveillance tool for law enforcement, with nearly 90,000 cameras installed in over 5,000 police agencies nationwide since 2018, according to activist group DeFlock.
Massie, who is retiring from Congress at the end of his current term, expressed his intention to sponsor a bill that would deny federal money to municipalities and police departments employing Flock cameras for the surveillance of citizens. He shared his comments on the social media platform X, accompanied by an image of a parody flag.
Critics argue that these cameras facilitate mass surveillance, akin to a "Big Brother" system, with billions of license plate reads collected monthly and shared across agencies. The controversy surrounding Flock Safety cameras has intensified following reports of misuse. In Georgia, 18 officers, including a supervisor who allegedly used the camera system to track her boyfriend, have been arrested for misusing the data. Furthermore, a movement of individuals has resorted to vandalizing Flock cameras in various locations, with an incident in Connecticut last week involving four cameras being damaged.
A spokesperson for Flock Safety stated that Massie's proposed bill would have significant negative consequences for public safety. The company estimates its cameras have aided in over one million investigations, contributed to 20% of solved cases in partner jurisdictions, and helped locate more than 10,000 missing individuals. The spokesperson added that the company believes it is possible to balance privacy with law enforcement needs, suggesting that Congress should focus on establishing clear safeguards for accountability, oversight, and responsible use rather than outright bans. "We do not have to choose between protecting privacy and giving law enforcement the tools it needs to keep communities safe,” the representative said. "We can — and should — do both."