Flock faces scrutiny over license plate surveillance and $2 million in lobbying expenses

Flock Safety is everywhere now

Think about your normal week. Your car may pass schools, stores, restaurants, and workplaces without you thinking twice. Flock Safety cameras can capture passing vehicles, creating records that may later become searchable by police agencies.

The company says its technology helps solve crimes and locate stolen vehicles and missing people. Its rapid expansion has also sparked concerns about privacy, government access, and how much information can be collected about everyday drivers traveling through communities across America.

Flock Safety faces growing scrutiny

Flock Safety has built one of the nation’s largest networks of automated license plate readers. Its cameras collect license plate numbers and vehicle details, creating digital records that law enforcement agencies can search during investigations.

The company says more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies use its technology. As the network expands, lawmakers and privacy advocates are asking how searches are controlled and how information is shared.

How do Flock Safety cameras work?

Flock Safety cameras are designed to automatically capture passing vehicles. Along with license plates, the system can record details such as vehicle color, make, model, and other characteristics that help distinguish one car from another.

That information becomes useful when investigators search for a particular vehicle. Instead of relying on one camera location, connected systems can help agencies identify sightings across different areas, giving police a broader picture of where a vehicle has traveled over time.

The lobbying spending adds up

Flock Safety has spent millions lobbying as its business grows and political scrutiny increases. Reporting shows the company spent nearly $1.3 million on federal lobbying from January 2025 through July 2026.

State lobbying added at least another $1 million during that period. Spending at both levels matters because lawmakers can shape privacy requirements, police procedures, government contracts, and rules affecting how license plate reader systems operate across communities and public agencies.

Washington is on Flock’s radar

Flock Safety’s federal lobbying became especially active in 2026. Company filings showed work involving Congress and the White House, with listed issues including homeland security, law enforcement, crime, and criminal justice.

Those subjects closely match Flock’s public safety business. The company reported $220,000 in federal lobbying during the second quarter of 2026, its highest quarterly amount since beginning federal lobbying in 2024, according to OpenSecrets data cited in the reporting.

Little-known fact: Flock Safety’s network connects agencies across 49 states, according to the company.

Flock hires former government insiders

Several people lobbying for Flock Safety have previous government experience. Five of the seven lobbyists hired by the company in 2026 had worked in public service, according to OpenSecrets information cited in the reporting.

Among them are Bryan Lanza, Jennifer Lawkin Lukawski, and Erskine Wells. Their experience includes presidential transition work, congressional leadership positions, and Senate staff roles. Such backgrounds can provide valuable knowledge about government offices, lawmakers, policies, and political decision-making.

State lobbying is harder to track

Tracking Flock Safety’s state lobbying is not simple. An OpenSecrets review found the company had lobbyists active in 34 states during 2025 and 2026, but reporting rules differ widely.

In 18 states, lobbyists were active without publicly available spending totals. Some states do not require disclosure of certain compensation or retainer payments, creating gaps. That means the publicly reported $1 million in state lobbying likely does not capture everything Flock actually spent.

California became a major battleground

California became an important testing ground for rules involving license plate reader data. Flock Safety spent $30,000 per quarter there beginning in January 2025, totaling $180,000 through June 2026, while lawmakers considered several privacy-related measures.

Proposals included shorter data-retention periods, audits, case-number requirements for searches, and limits on information sharing. Senate Bill 274 passed both legislative chambers but was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on October 1, 2025.

Little-known fact: California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a 2025 bill that would have imposed additional rules on automated license plate reader systems.

Police point to useful results

Police agencies often highlight practical reasons for using Flock Safety cameras. License plate readers can help locate stolen vehicles, find missing people, and provide investigative leads when officers are searching for specific vehicles.

Supporters say connecting camera information across jurisdictions can save valuable time during investigations. Instead of checking locations one by one, officers may find related sightings across multiple communities, helping them piece together movements that might otherwise remain difficult to connect during urgent cases.

Misuse reports raised new concerns

Concerns grew after reports showed some officers improperly searched license plate databases. Those cases raised questions about personal searches, access controls, and the need for stronger oversight of powerful surveillance systems.

The issue goes beyond what cameras collect. It also involves who can search information, why searches happen, and how agencies review employee activity. Flock Safety has promoted safeguards designed to detect misuse and add restrictions around searches within the system.

More communities are stepping away

Some communities have decided they no longer want Flock Safety cameras. Advocacy group DeFlock says more than 120 agencies or jurisdictions have canceled, suspended, rejected contracts, or deactivated systems since January 2025.

Those decisions often follow privacy debates or concerns about data use. Other communities continue using the cameras, saying they provide useful investigative tools. The result is a growing national divide over how much automated vehicle tracking communities should accept.

Flock Safety is expanding beyond cameras

Flock Safety is developing products beyond license plate readers. The company has expanded into areas including drones, gunfire detection, and public safety dashboards that combine information from multiple sources.

That broader strategy could turn Flock from a camera company into a larger public safety technology provider. Supporters may see connected tools as efficient and convenient. Critics worry that combining more systems could increase the amount of information collected, connected, and available through one technology ecosystem.

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The real fight is data control

The biggest issue may not be the lobbying dollars themselves. It is what happens to the information created by millions of vehicle scans, and who gets to decide how that information is used.

People want clear rules about searches, sharing, retention, and oversight. Flock Safety has introduced additional safeguards, but debate continues. As more communities adopt connected surveillance tools, lawmakers and residents face a difficult challenge: improving public safety without giving up reasonable privacy for everyday drivers.

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How do you feel about license plate cameras tracking vehicles in your community? Share your thoughts in the comments.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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