Flock Safety Eyes a Sale Amid Surveillance Backlash and Abuse Scandals

Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based license plate reader company, is exploring a potential sale of itself, according to people familiar with the matter. The company has held preliminary conversations with outside advisers, though no formal sale process has been launched and no decisions have been made. A spokesperson declined to comment.

Founded in 2017, Flock has grown rapidly by selling automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras to police departments, businesses, and homeowner associations across the country. But that growth has come with mounting controversy. Rogue police officers were found to have used Flock's camera data to track and stalk individuals — a scandal that drew significant national attention and forced the company to roll out new abuse-prevention measures. Among the changes: cutting the default video retention window from 30 days down to just seven.

The backlash has also turned physical. Dozens of Flock cameras across the U.S. have been vandalized or destroyed in what critics have branded the 'DeFlock' movement — a grassroots pushback against what many see as unchecked mass surveillance infrastructure creeping into neighborhoods. The company sits at the center of a broader national debate about where public safety ends and surveillance overreach begins.

Despite the controversy, Flock and its backers argue the technology saves lives and reduces crime at scale. Board member David Ulevitch has publicly stated that the benefits of the platform far outweigh the concerns. If a sale does move forward, likely acquirers include Axon — the taser and body-camera giant that already operates its own ALPR network — and Motorola Solutions, a major Axon rival in the law enforcement technology space. Either buyer would instantly absorb Flock's sprawling camera network and its deep ties to police departments nationwide.