Flock Safety, a company that provides AI-powered surveillance cameras to law enforcement, explored a plan to significantly expand its network by integrating dashcams from ride-sharing and delivery vehicles. Leaked company documents indicate that Flock considered incorporating approximately 350,000 Nexar dashcams, commonly found in Uber, Lyft, and other delivery service vehicles, into its existing surveillance infrastructure.
This proposed expansion, detailed in a presentation to the Georgia Office of the Attorney General in August 2025, would have effectively turned a vast number of commercial vehicles into mobile surveillance units. The dashcams can capture video footage, precise GPS data, and license plates. According to the presentation, the integration was described as being in its early stages.
A Flock spokesperson stated that the company never executed a partnership with Nexar. However, the presentation materials depicted these devices as an extension of Georgia's existing license plate reader network.
Flock's current surveillance system relies on fixed cameras, often mounted on poles, that photograph passing vehicles and record details such as license plates, make, and color. Police departments use Flock's database to track vehicles associated with crimes. The proposed Nexar integration would have transformed this stationary network into a mobile one.
Privacy Concerns and Company Response
The potential expansion has amplified concerns from privacy advocates who argue that Flock's system can create a searchable record of individuals' daily movements. While law enforcement maintains the technology aids in locating stolen vehicles and suspects, civil liberties groups express worries that innocent drivers could be captured in the system and their movements tracked without a warrant.
Garrett Langley, Flock Safety's CEO and co-founder, has previously stated that the company prioritizes public safety while upholding community values and accountability. He has asserted that Flock's Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are not mass surveillance tools, capturing only point-in-time images of license plates on public roads without tracking individuals over time. The company also notes that most data is deleted on a set schedule and that searches are logged.
Flock Safety has acknowledged isolated incidents of misuse across thousands of agencies and millions of searches, attributing them to human error rather than systemic bias. The company states that data is deleted after 30 days by default, though retention periods can vary based on local contracts and state laws. Flock also emphasizes that customers control data access, and searches are auditable.
Despite these assurances, a growing number of communities have begun to restrict or terminate contracts with Flock. The American Civil Liberties Union reported in June that over 55 communities had ended Flock contracts in the prior year, citing fears of warrantless surveillance, federal access to local data, and insufficient municipal oversight. Investigations have also documented instances where external agencies accessed locally collected information for purposes that violated local policies.
In response to criticism, Langley has characterized these concerns as coordinated attacks by activist groups aiming to undermine public safety efforts. Flock currently operates over 120,000 cameras across the United States.