Flock cameras are being abused. #juanguevara #tech #flock #surveillance

Our Take

Juan Guevara Torres's short hits on something we hear constantly from residents: once Flock Safety cameras go up, nobody outside the department really knows how the data gets used. A title like "Flock cameras are being abused" doesn't need a ten-minute breakdown to land — it names the core problem. These systems were sold to city councils as tools for solving violent crime and missing persons cases, but the audit logs that have surfaced around the country keep telling a different story: officers running plates for personal reasons, departments sharing data across state lines with no local sign-off, and agencies quietly expanding networks without public hearings.

The issue isn't one bad cop or one rogue department. It's that a privately run, loosely regulated surveillance grid has been stitched across thousands of towns with minimal oversight, and the few safeguards that exist depend entirely on self-reporting by the same agencies using the tool. When abuse does surface, it's almost always because a local reporter, a public records request, or a clip like this one forces it into daylight.

We appreciate Torres putting a spotlight on it, even briefly — every bit of attention chips away at the idea that this technology is neutral infrastructure rather than a policy choice communities should get to vote on. If you want to see how dense this network already is near you, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back at the city council level, our take-action guide walks you through it.