Flock Safety is accelerating its growth from license plate cameras to AI-powered drones, highlighting both the promise and controversy surrounding modern surveillance technology.
On Thursday in New York City, CEO Garrett Langley discussed the company’s expansion and response to privacy concerns. Hours later, Providence Police credited Flock’s cameras and AI system with helping locate the Brown University shooting suspect.
“America cannot tolerate tragedies like what we saw at Brown and MIT this past week,” Langley wrote on X. “We intend to continue using technology to make sure our law enforcement are empowered to do their jobs.”
Founded in 2017 and based in Atlanta, Flock Safety builds outdoor license plate reading cameras, or LPRs, and AI systems that allow law enforcement to track vehicles in real time. The company has partnered with roughly 6,000 police agencies nationwide. Its latest $275 million funding round valued the company at $7.5 billion, backed by investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund.
Providence Police used Flock’s AI to locate 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente, the alleged Brown shooter and MIT murder suspect. Additional AI tools, not part of Providence’s contract, enabled the system to identify Valente’s vehicle even with altered license plates.
Despite its success, Flock faces criticism from privacy advocates. Both the ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation have cautioned communities against using the technology, warning of excessive data collection and surveillance risks. ACLU Senior Policy Analyst Jay Stanley urged lawmakers to enact “strong, meaningful protections of our privacy and way of life against this kind of AI surveillance machinery.”
Flock’s October partnership with Amazon’s Ring doorbell system further sparked concerns over police access to private video footage. Several cities, including Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Redmond, Washington, have suspended Flock contracts over privacy issues. Langley emphasized that law enforcement must reassure communities, stating, “If (people are) worried about privacy, a license plate reader is the dumbest way to do surveillance. You have a cell phone. A cell phone knows your exact location at all times.”
Flock has implemented guardrails, such as audit trails to track data access, helping hold officials accountable. The company also launched a “drone as first responder” program, enabling AI-equipped drones to reach emergency scenes faster. In the third quarter of 2025, these drones completed 10,000 flights. Langley highlighted customizable limitations for cities, including height restrictions and 911-only deployment.
“My whole philosophy as the CEO of Flock is: No one elected me president, no one elected me to be police chief of America,” Langley said. “It’s my job to build the tools and give the guardrails for how to implement them in different cities.”
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