Flock CEO Garrett Langley on Controversy, "Surveillance State" Claims, and Privacy vs Safety

In a recent interview, Garrett Langley, CEO of Flock Safety, delved into the complexities of balancing public safety with individual privacy. Flock Safety, known for its license plate reader cameras, has seen tremendous success in reducing crime but faces increasing scrutiny over its data collection practices.

The Mission: Safer Communities

Garrett Langley founded Flock Safety nine years ago with a simple mission: to help communities live in safer neighborhoods. Initially, the company focused on selling license plate reading cameras to neighborhoods. These cameras, while technologically advanced enough to detect details like roof racks or bumper stickers, primarily capture still images of vehicles and read license plates.

Langley highlighted the significant impact Flock Safety has had, citing over a million crimes solved and more than 10,000 missing persons found, ranging from grandparents with dementia to abducted children. He shared a recent example from Atlanta where a stolen car with a two-year-old in the back seat was safely returned within an hour thanks to Flock's technology and the swift action of the Atlanta Police Department. Currently, Flock Safety operates in over 6,000 cities across the country.