Flock Safety Cuts 18 Percent of Workforce Amid Surveillance Backlash

The short version

• Flock Safety is reducing its employee count by roughly 18 percent.
• Legislative scrutiny and contract cancellations are driving the operational changes.
• Investigative journalist Benn Jordan played a central role in exposing the company’s practices.

The details

Flock Safety, the manufacturer of automatic license plate readers and associated software, is implementing significant workforce reductions. According to a Reuters report, the company plans to cut about 18 percent of its staff. This move follows a period of intense public and political pressure regarding the firm’s surveillance capabilities. The backlash has resulted in hundreds of cities, counties, and other local governments canceling their contracts with the vendor.

The legislative scrutiny intensified when Benn Jordan, a musician and investigative journalist, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism. The hearing focused on Flock and other ALPR systems. Jordan has become a prominent figure in the critique of the company’s data collection methods. His testimony represented the culmination of months of growing criticism from multiple political sides.

The context

The opposition to Flock mirrors broader debates about data centers and artificial intelligence privacy concerns. Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican, is currently investigating Flock Safety. Jordan does not seek to destroy the company but criticizes its public relations strategy. He argues that competitors like Axon and Motorola are building similar networks quietly. Jordan has reported security vulnerabilities to Flock directly and communicated with CEO Garrett Langley.

What should you do?

• Review municipal meetings or news sources to see if your local government has canceled Flock contracts.
• Check public records for how license plate data is stored and shared in your jurisdiction.
• Monitor official channels for updates on Flock’s workforce changes and product changes.
• Verify any information about surveillance tools through primary legislative transcripts or official reports.

For customers and users

Residents concerned about license plate surveillance should review their local ordinances regarding data retention and sharing. Check whether your municipality has adopted new privacy safeguards or canceled existing vendor contracts. Be wary of phishing attempts that reference recent legislative hearings or company layoffs. Verify the sender’s domain before clicking links in emails about surveillance policy changes. Contact local representatives to inquire about data access policies and community oversight mechanisms.

What to do and how to stay safe: Flock Safety

• Review municipal meeting minutes to determine if your local government has terminated contracts with Flock Safety.
• Check public records to understand how automatic license plate reader data is stored and shared in your area.
• Monitor official legislative channels for updates on investigations into surveillance vendors and data practices.
• Verify the authenticity of emails referencing recent congressional hearings or corporate workforce changes before clicking links.

Step-by-step guide: How Online Tracking Works: The Technical Chain from Request to Profile

General security guidance from the DataSafe Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.

Frequently asked questions

How many employees is Flock Safety cutting?

Flock Safety plans to cut about 18 percent of its workforce, according to a Reuters report.

Did Benn Jordan testify against Flock Safety?

Benn Jordan testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism regarding Flock and other ALPR systems.

Are other companies facing similar backlash?

Benn Jordan notes that competitors like Axon and Motorola are building similar networks quietly, while Flock faces specific backlash.