GoKawiilEarly this year, my home city of Bend, Oregon, ended its contract with surveillance company Flock Safety, following months of public pressure and concerns around weak data privacy protections. Flock's controversial AI-powered license plate cameras were shut down, and its partnership with local law enforcement ended.
We weren't the only city to actively reject Flock cameras. Since the start of 2026, dozens of cities have suspended or deactivated contracts with Flock Safety, labeling it a vast surveillance network. Others might not be aware that automated license plate readers, commonly referred to as ALPR cameras, have already been installed in their neighborhood.
Flock gripped news headlines late last year when the company was under the microscope during widespread crackdowns by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Though Flock doesn't currently have a direct partnership with federal agencies (a blurry line I'll discuss more), law enforcement agencies are free to share data with departments like ICE, and they frequently do.
One study from the Center for Human Rights at the University of Washington found that at least eight Washington law enforcement agencies shared their Flock data networks directly with ICE in 2025, and 10 more departments allowed ICE backdoor access without explicitly granting the agency permission. Many other reports outline similar activity.
In a recent evens follwing Super Bowl ads, Flock was under scrutiny amid recent concerns about its planned partnership with Ring, Amazon's security brand. The integration would have allowed police to request the use of nearby Ring-brand home security cameras for investigations. Following intense public backlash, Ring cut ties with Flock just like my city did.
To learn more, I spoke to Flock Safety about how the company says its surveillance is used (and misused). I also spoke with privacy advocates from the American Civil Liberties Union to discuss surveillance concerns and what communities are doing about it.
What it means when Flock Safety sets up in your neighborhood
Flock's presence means license plate cameras -- and these days, much more. Bloomberg/Contributor/Getty Images
If you hear that Flock Safety is setting up near you, it usually means the installation of ALPR cameras to capture license plate photos and monitor cars on the street.
Flock signs contracts with a wide range of entities, including city governments and law enforcement departments. A neighborhood can also partner with Flock -- for example, if an HOA decides it wants extra eyes on the road, it may choose to use Flock's systems.
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