The Power of Connected Intelligence

How Flock Safety’s Ecosystem of Sensors is Transforming Public Safety Through Innovation and Accountability

In today’s rapidly evolving public safety landscape, communities across the country are searching for a solution that not only helps deter and solve crime but also preserves democratic values of transparency, accountability, and public consent. Flock Safety answers that call. Not with a single device or a stand-alone system, but through a powerful ecosystem of sensors and technology that are backed by ethical engineering and a focus on  a community’s right to choose. 

At the core of Flock Safety’s value proposition is a belief in the power of connected infrastructure. With more than 6,000 communities, 5,000 law enforcement agencies, and over 1,000 businesses relying on its technology, Flock’s network helps connect the dots between crimes and criminals, while maintaining the privacy and accountability standards the public demands.

This is more than just innovative public safety tech. It’s an operational framework for safer, more equitable cities.

Solving Crime at Scale: What Problem Does Flock Solve?

In 2022, the United States experienced a significant surge in vehicle thefts, with over 1 million vehicles reported stolen—a 10% increase from the previous year, marking the highest annual total in 15 years. This alarming trend underscores the critical need for effective tools to combat vehicle-related crimes.

Flock Safety’s ALPR network was built from the ground up to address this issue at scale. The network enables real-time vehicle identification with high accuracy, across jurisdictions, day or night, without being dependent on legacy infrastructure.

By offering communities a modern crime-solving platform that identifies not only license plates but also vehicle attributes (make, model, color, and even temporary tags) Flock helps law enforcement solve cases faster and more effectively. And because it is built on a shared network, a stolen vehicle picked up in one jurisdiction can be flagged and located across neighboring cities and states, closing the gaps criminals often exploit.

Engineering Excellence: Technology that Works in the Real World

Flock Safety has made major strides in product engineering, with a relentless focus on performance and deployability. A few standout capabilities include:

Night Vision for 24/7 Monitoring

Flock’s proprietary camera technology delivers crystal-clear images regardless of lighting conditions. Unlike traditional ALPR cameras that struggle at night, Flock’s systems are optimized to capture vehicle and plate data around the clock, thanks to enhanced low-light imaging and advanced processing.

Solar-Powered, Wireless Deployment

Cities don’t have to trench through sidewalks or install expensive infrastructure to deploy Flock cameras. Each unit is solar-powered and connects wirelessly, allowing agencies to install a camera in under 30 minutes. This dramatically reduces deployment time and cost; making it possible to scale quickly and responsibly.

FreeForm: Rapid Search When Seconds Count

In the critical moments after a crime, officers often have just fragments of information to go on: a vague vehicle description, a partial plate, or an eyewitness account of a color or accessory. Traditional systems require rigid filters and structured data, slowing down the investigative process when speed is vital.

Flock Safety’s FreeForm changes that by delivering a Google-like search experience for law enforcement. Instead of relying on predefined filters or technical parameters, FreeForm allows users to type in natural language descriptions (like “red truck with racing stripes” or “landscaping trailer with a ladder”) and quickly sift through vast amounts of video and ALPR data to surface relevant leads.

This capability simplifies evidence discovery dramatically, empowering officers to follow up on limited information with speed and precision. Whether they’re responding to an in-progress incident or reviewing footage from a previous event, FreeForm cuts through the noise to uncover actionable intelligence—when time is of the essence.

By removing the friction of traditional search, FreeForm allows law enforcement to operate faster, smarter, and more efficiently. This provides the tools they need to solve crimes in real time.

A Transparent, Democratically Authorized Choice

Flock Safety takes a firm stance: citizens should have a voice in their city. Every deployment of a Flock Safety camera in public spaces is democratically authorized—either by city council vote, police board approval, or public contracting process. This ensures that the use of ALPR is not imposed on a community but rather requested, debated, and voted on.

To date, Flock Safety’s cameras have been authorized through over 1,200 city council meetings and public hearings across the country. The company has also played a critical role in shaping legislative frameworks, helping pass seven state-level laws, including comprehensive guidelines in states like Virginia.

This commitment to democratic process and community input makes Flock a unique partner in public safety. 

Transparency, Accountability, and Public Trust

Trust is earned, not assumed. Flock Safety understands that with powerful technology comes even greater responsibility. That’s why Flock builds industry-leading safeguards into every layer of its product and practice.

Transparency Portal

Flock offers a public-facing Transparency Portal (example), allowing any resident to view how their local agency is using the technology. The portal displays usage policies and audit logs; helping demystify the technology and showcase real-world impact.

Audit Trails

Every search made within the Flock platform is logged and auditable, creating a tamper-proof trail of accountability. Agencies can trace back who accessed what information, when, and why. This audit feature is a critical deterrent against misuse and is often cited in public hearings as a reason for community support.

Hot List Customization & Regulatory Support

Flock Safety enables hot list customization, allowing agencies to define and refine the data sets they search against. Whether it’s known stolen vehicles, Amber Alerts, or BOLOs (Be On the Lookout), agencies remain in full control of their operations.

Flock also works proactively with state and local governments to support state-specific regulations. In jurisdictions like Illinois, Minnesota, and California—where ALPR laws are uniquely stringent—Flock’s technology is configurable to meet compliance requirements. From data retention timelines to purpose-based restrictions, Flock supports agencies in staying not only effective but also legal.

The Advantage of Connection

What truly differentiates Flock Safety is the power of its intelligent network. Rather than treating ALPR as a standalone tool, Flock builds an interconnected, ethically-managed ecosystem. This allows public safety agencies to:

• Share vehicle intelligence, as they so choose, across departments and jurisdictions.
• Solve multi-jurisdictional crimes with ease.
• Tap into a broader investigative picture with context from neighboring communities.

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This added intelligence amplifies the value of each camera. A single Flock deployment doesn’t just help one community; it strengthens the entire collective.

Operational Excellence: From Policy to Implementation

Technology alone doesn’t create safer communities. Execution does. Flock Safety has distinguished itself by not just innovating in the lab but operationalizing those innovations in the field.

The company supports agencies through every step of the implementation journey: from community education to installation logistics to officer training. This “last mile” excellence is often what sets Flock apart from competitors.

In addition to deploying in record time, Flock has also proven adept at navigating the public sector’s policy and legislative landscape. By helping agencies draft use policies, prepare public meeting materials, and stay aligned with evolving laws, Flock becomes not just a vendor but a trusted partner.

Real-World Results: Turning Leads Into Arrests

Flock Safety’s network isn’t just a technological breakthrough; it’s a tool of proven public safety impact. Across the country, communities are seeing tangible results: suspects identified, crimes solved, and victims one step closer to justice. These real-world outcomes illustrate the power of combining vehicle-based intelligence with rapid, ethical deployment.

Here are just a few recent examples that highlight how Flock’s ALPR network is helping to deliver closure and accountability:

Stopping a National Threat in Hours

In a nationally covered incident, a suspect accused of threatening President Donald Trump was apprehended with the help of ALPR technology. After a BOLO was issued for the suspect’s vehicle, Flock’s system provided near real-time visibility, helping law enforcement locate the car in a matter of hours—averting further risk to public safety.

Read more via The New York Times ➔

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Serial Rapist Apprehended in Tulsa

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, Flock’s technology helped crack a chilling case involving a serial rapist who had evaded arrest across multiple incidents. With limited witness information and a partial vehicle description, investigators used Flock’s network to piece together a pattern and pinpoint the suspect’s car, leading to an arrest and multiple charges.

See the coverage from 2 News Oklahoma

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Denver Shooting Suspect Caught in Hours

After a brazen daylight shooting that injured four people in Denver’s LoDo district, law enforcement needed to act fast. Flock’s system delivered a critical vehicle lead—capturing the suspect’s escape route and facilitating a same-day arrest.

Full story via KDVR

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Home Invasion Suspects Arrested Immediately Thanks to a Proactive Officer and a Flock Alert

A family in O'Fallon, Missouri, became the target of a terrifying late-night home invasion by four armed individuals. Fortunately, an officer from O’Fallon PD was already on his way to the area after a Flock camera alerted him to a stolen vehicle in the neighborhood. 

The homeowner stated, “Flock really was the reason why everything came together so perfectly in a very imperfect situation.” 

Watch how a Flock LPR alert and a proactive police officer changed the outcome of this terrifying event.

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License Plate Reader Technology is transforming the crime fight across Fairfax county

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis highlights how Flock’s license plate reader (LPR) technology is transforming crime-fighting across the county.

Real-time data, innovative policing, and strong community partnerships are helping officers solve crimes faster and more effectively than ever before. From locating stolen vehicles to preventing repeat offenses, the influx of crime solved led to the development of their Real Time Crime Center (RTCC).

Watch now and see how smart tech is making Fairfax County safer.

Each of these examples illustrates what’s possible when communities are connected through a shared, ethically managed ALPR network. Flock Safety isn’t just helping solve cases—it’s helping restore peace of mind, and empowering law enforcement to act with precision, speed, and integrity.

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Conclusion: A Safer, Smarter Future Starts with the Right Foundation

Flock Safety is not just selling cameras. We’re building a movement for transparent, effective, and democratically endorsed public safety infrastructure. Through engineering innovation and community accountability, Flock empowers cities to take proactive, responsible control over crime reduction.

The results speak for themselves. Crimes solved. Communities empowered. Rights preserved.

In an era of increasing complexity, Flock Safety offers a bold, ethical answer to the public safety challenge—one built not just for today, but for the future.