Flock is falling out of favor with police departments
The Los Angeles Police Department has allowed its contract with surveillance firm Flock Safety to expire due to concerns over privacy, data ownership, and potential access by federal agencies. This move follows a trend of several other police jurisdictions across the U.S. distancing themselves from the company's license plate reading technology.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing tension between law enforcement's use of advanced surveillance technology and public concerns regarding civil liberties and data privacy.
LAPD said it won't renew the expired agreement with Flock Safety due to privacy and civil liberties concerns. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images LAPD lets contract with Flock Safety expire over privacy and civil liberties concerns. LAPD was a major Flock customer with 138 pole-mounted cameras across Los Angeles. Flock's license plate reading technology has made mistakes with serious consequences. Flock Safety is hitting a rough patch with one of its biggest customers. The Los Angeles Police Department let its deal with the surveillance company expire over the past weekend, a spokesperson of the department told Business Insider on Monday. "We wanted to address some of the civil liberty and civil rights concerns and ensure that there is clarity over the terms regarding privacy, data ownership, and security," the LAPD spokesperson said. The LAPD is among Flock's largest government customers.
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