Advocacy groups say at least 93 city and county governments cut ties with Flock in August alone, tripling the rate of contract losses compared to the past five years. Surveillance startup Flock Safety is facing mounting pressure as Americans vandalize its license plate reader cameras from Florida to California. The company has seen dozens of cities terminate contracts in recent months, citing privacy concerns and alleged misuse of its technology.
Flock Launches Voluntary Separation Program with Enhanced Severance Package
Flock has introduced a voluntary separation program, providing a severance package that is approximately double what the company has historically offered. Employees can apply for this program starting immediately, with applications remaining open until October 2. Internally, Flock anticipates that the majority of applicants will receive approval for buyouts. Sources indicate that a significant portion of the company’s workforce, which totals around 1,500, may opt to participate in the program.
Wired reported last month that the company has built AI-powered investigative tools capable of identifying drivers, surfacing potential associates based on movement patterns, and searching across police records and other databases. The controversy has also drawn attention to how far Flock’s technology has expanded beyond its original purpose. A separate Wired analysis found software capable of continuously scanning live camera feeds for people matching written physical descriptions, along with signs of potential integrations with drones and other surveillance systems — findings likely to add further fuel to the very backlash the company is now trying to manage.