The Marketing of Misconduct: How Flock Weaponizes 'Exemplary' Police Departments
AI-generated image · US National Wire
By touting agencies that later face allegations of ALPR misuse, Flock isn't just selling surveillance—it's selling a curated image of accountability that masks systemic failures.
OPINION: In the business of surveillance, the product isn't just the hardware; it is the perceived legitimacy of the tool. For Flock, the company providing automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology to law enforcement, that legitimacy is being manufactured through glossy promotional videos. But as reporting from WIRED reveals, there is a disturbing gap between the 'exemplary' departments Flock showcases on YouTube and the reality of how that technology is handled on the ground.
Flock has built a marketing engine that highlights police departments as success stories, but WIRED has identified at least four featured departments that subsequently faced allegations of misusing the ALPR system.
Consider the Albany Police Department. In a 2024 video produced by Flock, Chief Michael J. Persley spoke about the necessity of 'open, honest transparency and communication' to build community trust. Yet, on July 6, the Albany Police Department announced the firing of five officers following an internal investigation into 'serious policy violations involving the improper use' of ALPRs. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) subsequently charged these officers with violating their oaths of office and the misuse of license plate data.
A similar pattern appeared with the Savannah Police Department. In a March 2022 video, then-major Robert Gavin praised the system's data-sharing capabilities and highlighted community outreach. By July 31, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson announced that six employees had been referred to the GBI following an internal investigation into 'potential misuses' of the system. Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther told a local outlet that the investigation revealed 127 inappropriate searches out of 39,000 conducted this year.
Other examples include the Sandy Springs Police Department, featured in a 2020 video about 'porch pirates' before an officer was terminated last year for alleged misuse, and the Baytown Police Department, featured in a 2025 video before an officer resigned last week amid similar investigations.
When confronted, Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel told WIRED that the fact that misuse was 'identified and addressed' is evidence that oversight mechanisms are functioning.
Flock is now positioning itself as the solution to the problems its own technology enables. In April, the company introduced the Flock Safety Audit Assistance Program—the tool Savannah used to uncover its 127 inappropriate searches. In effect, Flock sells the surveillance tool and then sells the audit tool to catch the misuse that follows.
While these incidents are stark, they are not anomalies. WIRED reports ALPR misuse allegations in Ohio, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Kansas. In Georgia, allegations have also been reported at the sheriff's offices of Richmond, Habersham, Cherokee, and Coweta counties. By using these departments as marketing case studies, Flock creates a shield of perceived safety, ensuring the surveillance machine keeps turning regardless of who is being watched.