Flock Safety Addresses LAPD Concerns Amid Contract Renegotiations
The Los Angeles Police Department is currently in discussions to renegotiate a contract with Flock Safety, largely due to worries surrounding privacy and data-sharing. CEO Garrett Langley maintains that the company has already implemented technical safety measures in California.
The Atlanta-based firm has drawn criticism from activists claiming that its automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) infringe on privacy rights and gather data potentially accessible to federal agencies, especially regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tracking of undocumented immigrants.
In his first interview with the California Post since the LAPD announced the contract issues, Langley dismissed these concerns as misconceptions. He emphasized that the technology is quite “basic,” functioning solely to capture images of license plates.
“We can’t see inside a car. We can’t monitor a person’s heart rate. We certainly can’t read what’s on a cell phone,” Langley explained. “What we do is simply take a picture of their license plate.”
Flock’s AI technology is being deployed on streetlights nationwide, raising growing public concern that these installations might lead to an extensive surveillance network. In response, Langley reiterated that the cameras are only meant for photographing license plates, not people. He pointed out laws in California that prohibit sharing ALPR data with out-of-state entities.
“Customers maintain control over their data and decide whom to share it with, with a caveat. In California, it’s against the law to take ALPR data out of the state,” he noted.
Langley asserted that the company had implemented necessary “firewalls” to address public fears about law enforcement potentially utilizing broader data-sharing networks.
He further tackled concerns regarding data ownership and security, issues raised by the LAPD after the expiration of its contract with Flock. “Data should not be monetized. This is a public safety endeavor, so we don’t claim ownership of the data,” he clarified. “We have no legal right to sell it or leverage it for any purpose. This is our customer’s data.” The images captured by ALPRs are kept for 30 days before they are permanently deleted, although this timeframe may change based on the judgment of local officials.
The LAPD recently halted the use of Flock’s cameras due to disagreements over data control. When asked if he was surprised by this decision, Langley replied, “It’s very clear who owns the data, how it is to be shared and how it is not,” expressing hope that the discrepancies would resolve soon, allowing the company to resume normal operations.
LAPD officials confirmed that negotiations with Flock are still ongoing. Langley, who founded the company in 2017, acknowledged that it faces challenges while asserting the mission of creating safer communities without compromising privacy.
“Data security has faced considerable criticism this past year, and we’ve been listening,” he mentioned. The company is now implementing multi-factor authentication measures and engaging an independent firm to audit its systems. “We plan to make our penetration testing findings public soon. Not because we expect to be flawless, but to show we’re listening,” he added.
In essence, Langley, 39, expressed his belief that it’s possible to enhance safety while respecting privacy rights. “As Americans, we are entitled to both,” he concluded.
