Flock Hired PR Operatives as Cities Dump Their Cameras

Our Take

When a company starts hiring Beltway PR shops to whisper in city council members' ears, that's not community engagement — that's astroturf. Business Reform's reporting, built on records dug up by researcher Jason Hunyar, shows Flock Safety allegedly leaning on firms that specialize in manufacturing the appearance of grassroots support. If accurate, this isn't a surveillance company responding to public concern; it's a surveillance company trying to out-message it.

Even more troubling is the claim that Flock cameras have stayed mounted and operational in some towns after officials moved to cancel contracts. If true, that's not just a customer service failure — it raises real questions about who actually controls these devices once they're bolted to a pole. Cities were told they were buying a tool. Increasingly it looks like they signed up for a landlord-tenant relationship where Flock holds all the leverage.

This pattern — pushback from residents, followed by professional spin instead of policy change — is exactly why documentation matters. Check the map to see if Flock has moved into your area, and if your city is facing a renewal vote, get the tools to organize before the PR firms show up. See take action for what you can do locally.