GoKawiilFlock Safety's camera contract with Covington, Georgia grew fivefold since 2020
Public records show Covington, Georgia paid Flock Safety $40,000 in 2020 to maintain 20 license-plate cameras, a figure that rose to $113,225 by 2024 and roughly $201,000 through just the first eight months of 2026. The increases stem from new camera installations, added software products, and a multi-year maintenance agreement for its expanding fleet. WIRED gathered similar records from a dozen Flock customers nationwide to examine how costs have grown across different cities.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The rising spending illustrates how surveillance contracts can expand well beyond their initial scope as vendors add new hardware, software subscriptions, and services like drone response programs. This pattern of escalating costs, combined with growing public criticism of Flock's surveillance capabilities, suggests cities may face difficulty predicting or controlling long-term budget commitments once they adopt such systems.
- Covington, Georgia's annual Flock Safety payments grew from $40,000 in 2020 to about $201,000 through August of the current year.
- New camera models, installation fees, software products, and a drone response program have all added to the city's costs over time.
- WIRED examined records from a dozen Flock customers nationwide amid broader scrutiny of the company's surveillance contracts.
Source: wired.com — Caroline Haskins, 2026-10-13
Published there as: “What Flock Actually Costs Cities Across the Country”
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