This Is Flock’s AI Search Tool for Cops

Flock Safety provides AI-powered search tools that allow police to search across multiple cameras for people matching written descriptions or vehicles matching selected criteria. The technology has faced significant backlash, with police departments canceling contracts and city councils removing cameras after cases of misuse, including a search of over 83,000 cameras for a woman who had an abortion and unauthorized access to state camera data by federal immigration agents. The company recently implemented changes including shorter data retention periods, required case codes for searches, and automated auditing to discourage misuse, though experts note these guardrails will record but not prevent abuse. A key concern is that Flock's AI system decides which search descriptions to allow without external oversight or measurable accuracy standards, and it treats searches involving political and cultural expression with fewer restrictions than searches involving race or religion, contrary to how courts have historically protected First Amendment expression.