Breaking

Flock AI can watch multiple cameras for anyone matching a written description, rebuilt interface shows

September 3, 2026 at 06:07 EDT

Security
Policy & Regulation
AI Agents

Flock Safety’s police software can run a continuous, automated search across cameras in a drawn map area for anyone matching a typed description, according to an analysis of code the company sends to an officer’s browser. Investigators reconstructed the interface officers see, including FreeForm natural-language search, a description-based watchlist, and an on-server AI that scores queries before they run against stored footage.

September 2026 · Flock Safety

Type a description. Watch the cameras.

Reconstructed officer software shows an AI watchlist that can scan a drawn map area for anyone matching written text — while most documented ALPR-misuse cases involve Flock.

Documented ALPR misuse cases (recent U.S. tally)

Flock involved

All ALPR cases

46 of 50 recently reported officer-misuse cases involved Flock cameras — nearly the full stack.

75%

Person-alert certainty floor

83,000+

Cameras in one Texas query

2,700+

Unauthorized searches, one SC office

Moderation verdicts: allow, block, warn

How a description search runs

1 Officer types a description

→

2 Server AI scores 8 categories

→

3 Allow, block, or warn

→

4 Match cameras / watchlist

Company stance

Flock says queries are checked against content policies and that case codes, shorter retention, and auditing will be mandatory by year-end.

Critical view

Experts say political-expression searches only warn, clothing can bypass religion blocks, and inaccuracy risk sits with the officer — not the vendor.

What the UI still allows

Guardrails may discourage and record abuse; the reconstructed code does not show them stopping a determined search.

Political, social, and cultural expression: warn, then continue
Some searches can still be configured without a case number
Audit Assistance was off by default in the reviewed code

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