Flock CEO speaks out after LAPD suspends use of company's cameras
The short version: LAPD's suspension of Flock cameras shows even police departments are waking up to how far this surveillance network has spread beyond stated limits.
Our Take
When a police department itself hits pause on Flock Safety's ALPR network, that's not noise — that's a signal. ABC7's report on the LAPD suspension, and Flock's CEO scrambling to respond, confirms what we've been saying for a while: this technology keeps outrunning the guardrails departments claim to have in place. "Public safety" is the pitch, but the CEO having to go on camera to defend the company suggests the cracks are getting hard to paper over.
What's telling is the gap between Flock's marketing and what's actually happening with the data once it's collected — who queries it, who shares it, and how far outside the original mission creep sets in. LAPD pulling back doesn't mean the cameras disappear; it means one agency is admitting the current setup can't be trusted as-is. That should be the bare minimum standard everywhere these systems operate, not a rare exception.
Credit to ABC7 for pushing Flock's leadership to answer for this instead of letting the press release stand unchallenged. If you want to see whether these cameras are already watching your own streets, check our map, and if you're ready to push back locally, our take-action page is a good place to start.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of ABC7, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.