Long Island Lawmakers Grill Flock Safety Over 'Big Brother' Surveillance Network

Long Island lawmakers confronted representatives from Flock Safety last week, expressing significant concerns about the company's AI-powered surveillance network and its potential to infringe on privacy rights. Legislators from both sides of the aisle in Suffolk County questioned the company for over two hours, drawing parallels to "Big Brother" surveillance and criticizing Flock Safety's defense that the technology's constitutionality has been upheld in "99%" of court cases.

During a heated exchange, Republican Legislator Anthony Piccirillo challenged Flock Safety's Senior Director of Public Affairs, Trevor Chandler, who asserted that "99% of courts" have found the technology compliant with the Fourth Amendment. Piccirillo countered by referencing historical instances where majority court rulings did not align with broader civil liberties, stating, "99% of courts upheld Jim Crow laws for 56 years."

Piccirillo also pointed to a recent federal ruling in Oklahoma where a judge declared a warrantless police search using Flock's system constituted "indiscriminate mass surveillance." He pressed Flock Safety representatives on whether their system is capable of "reconstructing an individual’s movements over time," a capability that Chandler and Joe Rosenberg, Flock's account manager for Suffolk County, eventually conceded.

Further criticism was leveled at Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley for reportedly labeling company critics as "terrorists." Piccirillo questioned whether an Afghanistan war veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Legislator Chad Lennon, would be considered a terrorist by the company.

Other lawmakers voiced anxieties regarding the capabilities of the AI-powered cameras, which scan and record information on every vehicle passing by, including license plates and distinctive features. Legislator Trish Bergin, a Republican, expressed concern about "Big Brother watching," referencing prior reporting that Suffolk County had more than doubled its number of Flock cameras in the past year.

The company's technology allows for automatic alerts to law enforcement for potential violations, and the data collected is searchable by police nationwide without a warrant. Chandler confirmed that Suffolk County retains driver data for 30 days, exceeding Flock Safety's standard 7-day retention period, which aids police in tracking vehicle movements.

Frustration with Flock Safety's responses was evident among most legislators, who called for enhanced safeguards, oversight, and transparency in law enforcement's use of the technology. Legislator Greg Doroski, a Democrat, announced that the legislature is collaborating with the county police department on a new local law to regulate police searches and Flock data, while also exploring ways to hold the company accountable. Doroski also noted the need to review a recent $4 million deal for Flock Safety's "Raven" gunshot detection system, which was passed by a committee without a legislative hearing.