Hawley wants Flock investigated
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U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley has launched an investigation into Flock Safety, demanding answers about how the company protects, shares and potentially commercializes information collected by its license plate-reading cameras.
The Missouri Republican, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, sent a letter Wednesday to Flock CEO Garrett Langley seeking company records by Sept. 8.
Hawley said Flock operates more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states and processes more than 20 billion vehicle scans each month.
He raised concerns that information gathered by local cameras can be combined into a searchable nationwide database containing the movements of people who are not suspected of crimes.
“I want law enforcement to have tools to catch offenders and keep the public safe,” Hawley wrote. “But Americans do not surrender their privacy rights when they drive to work, drop their kids off at school, or go to church.”
The investigation follows reported cases of misuse and inaccurate alerts.
Hawley cited an audit that led the St. Charles County Police Department to end its Flock contract after a civilian employee allegedly conducted searches for personal reasons.
He also pointed to cases in other states involving unauthorized searches, wrongful traffic stops and an arrest that was later determined to be a mistake.
Hawley is asking Flock to explain who can access driver information, how long records are retained and whether the data can be sold or used commercially.
“Congress never authorized the network your industry has built,” Hawley wrote, arguing that the company’s internal policies currently serve as the principal protection for drivers whose movements are recorded.
