Flock Safety has announced a significant change: they’re reducing the retention period for license plate camera data from 30 days to just seven. This move requires police to justify every search, which comes amid mounting pressure from privacy advocates and lawmakers.
CEO Garrett Langley mentioned in a conversation with the California Post that this overhaul marks the strictest approach to license plate data collection in the nation. He noted that about 90% of investigative searches made through Flock’s system already occur within a week.
Langley stated, “I realized that the community needed my help,” explaining the shift toward not just offering tools for police but also enforcing safety measures.
“There need to be clearer standards for how this technology is utilized,” he added. “Unfortunately, the issue of police misuse has been persistent, more than many are willing to acknowledge.”
These changes come as Flock faces increasing backlash regarding the extensive deployment of automatic license plate readers, which gather data about vehicles in designated areas and enable law enforcement to conduct searches.
The ACLU has accused Flock and similar companies of contributing to a broad surveillance network, asserting that such technology can expose where individuals live, work, worship, and travel. According to the ACLU, Flock operates approximately 120,000 cameras across the country.
In contrast, Flock argues that its tools serve vital investigative needs and that implementing stronger safeguards can help alleviate concerns without completely discarding the technology.
“The ACLU has required incident codes for investigations for years. We built it,” Flock’s team stated while announcing these shifts, indicating that things like incident codes and support audits will be more stringent moving forward.
Under the new policy, a case code will be mandatory for every search. This requirement was first proposed as optional in July 2025.
Emergency overrides can take place in situations like a missing child, but these will be automatically flagged for review.
Flock is also developing an audit support feature aimed at law enforcement agencies. This tool will identify unusual search activity and highlight potentially concerning behavior. Since its introduction earlier this year, around one-third of government agencies have opted into this feature, and those that have report increased detection of misuse.
With the new system, unusual activity can lead to locking users out while their searches are reviewed by administrators.
Langley expressed that the goal is to identify fraudulent actions before they escalate rather than addressing them retroactively, stating, “It’s not about removing essential tools but holding people accountable.” He emphasized that not enough cities were conducting audits, hence the push for mandatory audits.
Flock is also launching Evidence Mode, allowing information linked to a case number to be saved rather than deleted after seven days. Agencies can opt for longer data retention based on local or state laws if necessary.
Langley mentioned that seven days was selected after examining how quickly investigations typically utilize the system.
While acknowledging that some might argue for a shorter time frame, he stated, “Some would argue it should be 48 hours. That might resolve around half of the crimes, while 90% are solved within a week.”
The changes come as the California Legislature is discussing new regulations for ALPR technology. Senate Bill 1013 is on the table, introduced by state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, requiring public agencies that utilize license plate readers to train staff, maintain search logs, conduct annual audits, and delete data after 30 days unless related to active investigations. The bill has passed in the Senate and is currently awaiting consideration in the Assembly.
As Flock adjusts its data security protocols, it faces significant political challenges in Los Angeles. Mayor Karen Bass has recently called for the termination of the LAPD’s contract with Flock, claiming the company has lost the trust of local residents.
Langley responded by contesting the mayor’s interpretation of how the system functions, emphasizing, “The LAPD owns the data, and has always had control over access, not Flock.” He expressed disappointment over the mayor’s statements.
Langley mentioned attempts to reach out to the mayor’s office to arrange a meeting.
He questioned what had shifted in Bass’ stance, pointing to her previous support for the technology: “What’s changed? I’ve been running this business for nine years.”
Bass’ office has yet to respond to requests for a comment.
Despite the challenges, Langley remains hopeful about collaborating with the LAPD, highlighting that the contract doesn’t hold financial value for Flock. “The customer owns the data, not us,” he reiterated.
He also highlighted Flock’s support during the Palisades fire, noting the donation of over 50 cameras to affected areas, which he claims helped with recovery efforts. “Thousands of officers relied on Flock every day,” he remarked. “Now they have nothing.”
Langley mentioned plans to eventually reinstate the system with enhanced safeguards.
He noted, “My team is in discussions with LAPD. I believe they will appreciate the changes.” The ongoing debate surrounding privacy is unlikely to diminish anytime soon.
The ACLU argues that ALPR systems invade the privacy of innocent drivers and that law enforcement misuses the technology, while police representatives assert that these tools are crucial for recovering stolen vehicles, identifying suspects, and solving crimes.
Langley confirmed that the company will keep refining its practices as technology evolves.
