Flock Employee Summons Police Over Reporter Filming Installation

InvestigateTV reporter Brendan Keefe was stopped by three Milton, Georgia, police vehicles after filming a Flock Safety contractor upgrading an automated license-plate camera from a public street and briefly following the contractor’s vehicle. The contractor told 911 he was being followed and harassed, while Flock said its workers may contact police over safety concerns and that the company does not object to people photographing its cameras or personnel in public. The incident has drawn criticism because Flock’s cameras routinely record motorists’ plates, vehicle characteristics and other visible details without an opt-out, creating searchable data used by law enforcement. Flock says its technology helps investigate crimes, but civil-rights advocates and some communities remain concerned about privacy, data retention, alleged misuse and the lack of public control over contracts; some jurisdictions have canceled or restricted the systems while others continue expanding them.