Policy
Police Departments Featured in Flock Marketing Face Misuse Probes
At least four agencies highlighted in promotional videos by the ALPR vendor have since investigated officers for unauthorized searches.
Key takeaways
- Four police departments featured in Flock Safety promotional videos have since investigated officers for ALPR misuse, including three in Georgia and one in Texas.
- Albany Police Department fired five officers in July, with three specifically terminated for improper license plate reader use and charged by state investigators.
- Savannah police used Flock's own audit tool to identify 127 inappropriate searches among 39,000 conducted this year, leading to six employees placed on leave.
- The pattern suggests even departments showcased as model implementations face significant challenges controlling unauthorized technology access.
- Flock argues that detection and investigation of misuse proves oversight mechanisms work, not that departments should be condemned.
Flock Safety, the automatic license plate reader (ALPR) vendor expanding rapidly across U.S. law enforcement agencies, has featured at least four police departments in promotional videos that subsequently investigated officers for technology misuse.
The pattern spans multiple years and states. Georgia's Albany Police Department appeared in a 2024 promotional video where the police chief emphasized transparency and community trust. In July, the department fired five officers following an internal investigation into improper ALPR use, with three terminated specifically for license plate data misuse. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation charged the officers with misusing license plate data and violating their oaths of office.
Savannah Police Department, featured in a March 2022 Flock video, placed four officers and two civilian employees on administrative leave after discovering "potential misuses" of the ALPR system. An internal investigation using Flock's own Audit Assistance Program identified 127 inappropriate searches among 39,000 conducted this year, according to Savannah's mayor. The GBI confirmed its investigation remains active.
Pattern Extends Beyond Georgia
The Sandy Springs Police Department appeared in a 2020 video about catching package thieves. Last year, the department terminated an officer who allegedly conducted ALPR searches to support beta testing for Signal 8, a law enforcement software company where the officer held a second job. The officer reportedly failed to cooperate with the investigation.
Most recently, Baytown Police Department in Texas was featured in a 2025 video series. Last week, an officer resigned amid dual investigations—one internal, one criminal—into alleged technology misuse. Police Chief John Stringer stated that accountability "to the fullest extent of the law will be pursued."
Why It Matters
The incidents reveal a disconnect between vendor marketing narratives and operational reality. While Flock promotes these departments as model implementations, the subsequent misuse cases suggest that even agencies positioned as exemplary users struggle with unauthorized access. For organizations evaluating ALPR technology, this pattern underscores the need for robust internal controls independent of vendor-provided tools—and raises questions about how thoroughly vendors vet their showcase clients.
Widespread Accountability Challenges
Allegations of ALPR misuse extend well beyond Flock's featured departments. In Georgia alone, sheriff's offices in Coweta, Cherokee, Habersham, and Richmond counties have faced similar reports. Other states including Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin have documented comparable issues.
Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel defended the company's position, arguing that detection and investigation of misuse demonstrates that "oversight mechanisms are working, not as a sign that the entire department or city should be broadly condemned." He emphasized that accountability tools exist specifically to identify and address improper use.
The company introduced its Audit Assistance Program in April, which continuously monitors system activity to surface search patterns outside typical agency usage. Savannah's investigation marked one of the first public uses of this tool.
These details were first reported by WIRED.
