The CEO of Flock Safety, Garrett Langley, issued a public apology Thursday, responding to a significant and escalating series of allegations concerning the misuse of its surveillance technology. Following a Washington Post report detailing 46 instances of law enforcement officers accused of improperly utilizing Flock’s license plate camera network, including alleged stalking of women, Langley stated he had engaged in a conversation with one woman regarding the accusations.
Langley acknowledged the gravity of the situation and emphasized the company’s commitment to addressing past shortcomings. He stated, “I apologize, it kills me that she went through that.”
He further explained that hindsight is, he admitted, a “brutal tool,” suggesting that the company had a responsibility to act more proactively when it came to accountability. He continued, “Hindsight tends to be very clear, and we listen, we learn, and we will continue to move forward because until everyone has an equal level of safety in this country, we have work to do.”
Langley defended Flock’s position, asserting that the company’s service provides crucial tools to law enforcement agencies, enabling them to monitor vehicle traffic and license plate data. He clarified that Flock’s network encompasses 120,000 cameras across the country, recording license plates and other vehicle details.
The company announced several changes, including a reduction in the default retention period for data from 30 days to seven days. However, if data is linked to an investigation requiring more time, it can be preserved in a ‘Evidence Mode’ setting.
Flock also introduced a new search protocol, requiring a case code to be entered prior to any data search. Furthermore, the company stated that all searches will now involve a verification process, with a three-fourth of agencies already implementing this tool, which rolled out earlier this year.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized Flock, accusing the company of violating privacy rights, stating that reducing data retention periods ‘may be a step in the right direction.’
In an interview with CBS News, Langley addressed the ACLU’s concerns, stating, “Whether this is a real change or just another Flock PR move, however, will depend on how its ‘Evidence Mode’ operates.” He also emphasized that the company has a policy of automatically locking out individuals until the searches are reviewed by an administrator, including a child missing.
Langley confirmed that the company has already turned on a tool designed to flag abnormal search behavior and lock out users until the searches are reviewed, with a third of agencies having already implemented it. The company’s customer base can limit which types of offenses outside agencies can search for, like homicide, arson, or assault, the ACLU stated.
The CBS News interview concluded with a discussion of the company’s plan to implement an administrator review process for all searches, ensuring that the system remains transparent and accountable. Flock Safety is committed to transparency and will continue to provide a tool to review search data and ensure it is used responsibly.
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Source: CBS News
