214+ U.S. Cities End Flock Safety Contracts Amid Privacy Concerns
More than 214 U.S. cities and counties have ended Flock Safety contracts since 2021, with over 90 in August 2026 alone.
Why it matters: Privacy concerns and legal challenges are driving cities to reject Flock Safety’s surveillance tech, signaling increased regulatory risks. Legal professionals must track how this evolving landscape affects litigation and compliance in public surveillance.
- Over 214 U.S. cities and counties canceled Flock Safety contracts since 2021, including 90 in August 2026 alone.
- University of Minnesota and Englewood, Colorado, removed Flock cameras citing community privacy and data-sharing concerns.
- Flock Safety shortened data retention from 30 to 7 days and canceled its acoustic 'human distress detection' feature following backlash.
- Flock operates about 120,000 license plate readers nationwide, handling ~20 billion scans monthly, but faces growing legal and public resistance.
Since 2021, more than 214 U.S. cities and counties have ended contracts with Flock Safety’s surveillance services, with a notable spike in August 2026 when over 90 jurisdictions terminated agreements. Techdirt reports.
Significant cases include the University of Minnesota removing a Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) from its West Bank campus due to community concerns about privacy and potential unauthorized data sharing (Axios). Similarly, Englewood, Colorado’s City Council unanimously terminated its contract with Flock, leaving its 12 ALPR cameras without replacement (Axios).
In Grass Valley, California, police ended their contract citing privacy and unauthorized data access concerns. However, Flock temporarily reinstalled cameras despite community opposition (TechRadar).
Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey paused use of Flock’s technology to address transparency on data storage and access, illustrating ongoing public unease (Axios). Goochland County, Virginia, also discontinued Flock usage over similar privacy concerns (Axios).
Flock Safety manages roughly 120,000 license plate readers nationwide, processing approximately 20 billion scans monthly (TechRadar). Despite this scale, regulatory and public scrutiny intensify.
In response to criticism, Flock shortened its data retention period from 30 days to 7 (LA Times) and canceled its acoustic 'human distress detection' feature (TechRadar).
Privacy advocate and author Chris Gilliard, a technology ethicist specializing in surveillance issues, argues these networks conflict fundamentally with civil liberties. He states, “networked cameras sprinkled across the country are incompatible with a free society.” On the other hand, Flock’s Chief Legal Officer Dan Haley attributes controversy more to broader societal concerns than to the technology itself.
This wave of cancellations indicates legal professionals and policy makers should monitor how rising privacy concerns and regulatory oversight affect surveillance technologies and related litigation.
By the numbers:
- 214+ U.S. cities/counties terminated Flock contracts since 2021 — accelerating in August 2026
- 120,000 ALPRs operated by Flock nationwide — processing ~20 billion scans monthly
- 7 days — Flock’s new data retention period, down from 30 days
Yes, but: While contract cancellations emphasize privacy concerns, Flock’s leadership argues many issues arise from public perception rather than flaws in the technology itself.
What's next: Regulatory bodies and local governments are expected to consider stricter privacy rules for surveillance systems, increasing legal risks for providers like Flock Safety.