A viral outburst by a Tennessee county commissioner, who suggested the CEO of Flock Safety should be "hanged publicly for treason," has intensified a national debate surrounding the privacy implications of the company's widespread surveillance technology. Kingsport Commissioner Joe Carr's remarks at an Aug. 13 work session characterized Flock Safety as an "enemy of the American people" and one of the most "hated" and "corrupt" companies in the nation.
Carr later clarified his statement to Fox News Digital, asserting he did not call for lynchings but rather for due process, while emphasizing the public's anger over perceived government overreach. "The American people are angry. I felt, and I think a lot of them felt, that no elected official was really going hard enough on this," Carr said. "People have a right to go about their business without being spied on."
His comments come as Flock's automated license plate readers (ALPRs) face increasing scrutiny nationwide over issues of data tracking, security, and personal privacy. Reports indicate that approximately 100 municipalities have rescinded or deactivated their contracts with Flock Safety. The company operates more than 135,000 ALPRs across the United States, with roughly 80% of these belonging to Flock, according to data from DeFlock.org. Flock's cameras are installed in 49 states, capturing vehicle characteristics and license plate numbers.
Local and State Responses
Following Carr's remarks, Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy suspended the use of the county's 10 Flock ALPRs, citing "legitimate concerns" about privacy, oversight, and government surveillance. Cassidy has proposed a local referendum to allow voters to decide on the technology's reinstatement. Despite acknowledging the cameras' role in crime-fighting, including assisting in locating a child predator, Cassidy expressed concern that the technology could be misused or pose a national security risk if hacked. He also voiced fears of a "totalitarian" government potentially leveraging such infrastructure.
The controversy has drawn reactions from state officials. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has paused state funding for Flock cameras, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has banned them from state highways, citing concerns about an expanding "digital AI surveillance state." Florida's Department of Transportation has revoked existing permits for ALPRs on state highway rights-of-way. In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro has announced support for a bipartisan bill to ban Flock cameras statewide.
Flock Safety's Position
Flock Safety maintains that its cameras do not record continuously or employ facial recognition technology. The company states that customers own the data collected, and every search requires documented justification, which is logged for review. However, incidents involving law enforcement misusing the technology, such as tracking ex-partners, have surfaced. Furthermore, vandalism of Flock cameras has been reported in at least 36 states, underscoring the public's apprehension.
Critics like Commissioner Carr argue that the potential for misuse and security breaches outweighs the reported benefits, particularly in the context of AI-powered surveillance. He noted that the issue has become a unifying one, transcending political divides, as many citizens intrinsically distrust granting any entity, even an enemy, access to such powerful technology.
"I mean, this has probably been one of the most unifying things that I’ve seen in my lifetime," Carr told Fox News Digital. "It’s not really a left or right issue, because I think the one thing that people really understand innately, even if they’re not expressing it, is that they wouldn’t trust their worst enemy with the technology."
Carr concluded by stressing the need for bipartisan cooperation to address these concerns, ensuring future generations are not subjected to pervasive surveillance. Flock Safety did not immediately respond to requests for comment.