Flock Safety Tightens Police Access to License Plate Data

Flock Safety, the company behind a nationwide network of automated license plate reading cameras, announced on Thursday, August 13, 2026, it would implement mandatory new controls for law enforcement agencies, tightening access to its surveillance data following years of privacy concerns and documented police misuse. The changes, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, include a shorter default data retention period, required case number linkage for searches, and an automated auditing system to flag abnormal activity.

CEO Garrett Langley said the reforms are intended to improve transparency and rebuild public trust. "Police abuse is something that I think is unacceptable to everyone," Langley said in an interview. "It erodes the trust of a community." The announcement comes as the company faces growing backlash, with more than 80 cities reportedly dropping or considering dropping their contracts.

Under the new policy, the standard data retention window will be shortened from 30 days to seven days. Agencies will be permitted to preserve data for longer periods only when it is tied to a specific criminal investigation. Law enforcement users will now be required to enter a case...