Flock says its cameras make US safer - so why are they being sabotaged?

September 5, 2026 - 09:35

The company behind a vast network of AI-powered license plate readers insists its technology makes American streets safer, but a rising wave of vandalism tells a different story. Flock Safety cameras, which are mounted on poles and streetlights in thousands of neighborhoods, have been deliberately damaged, spray-painted, and even torn down in cities from coast to coast. The company says the devices help police solve crimes like car theft and burglaries within hours. But critics see them as an unchecked expansion of surveillance, and some residents are taking matters into their own hands.

The sabotage is not random. In several cases, the cameras were targeted after local activists posted guides online showing how to disable them. Some attackers have used poles to knock the devices loose, while others have covered the lenses with heavy-duty adhesive or bags. Flock has responded by adding tamper alarms and stronger mounting brackets, but the damage keeps happening. The company argues that the vandals are helping criminals, not communities. Yet the backlash points to a deeper concern: who gets to watch whom, and with what oversight?

Flock currently operates in over 4,000 communities, and its cameras capture millions of license plates every day. The footage is stored for 30 days and can be shared with law enforcement agencies. Supporters say this data is a powerful tool for solving serious crimes. Opponents worry about privacy, racial profiling, and the lack of clear rules on how the data is used. The vandalism, they argue, is a form of protest against a system that was installed with little public debate. For now, Flock continues to expand, but the growing number of broken cameras suggests that not everyone is convinced the trade-off is worth it.