Flock Safety has spent more than $2 million into federal and state lobbying across the U.S. since 2025, and has hired lobbyists in 34 states, a report says – including New Jersey.
Earlier this week, OpenSecrets released an analysis of spending involving Flock, the fast-growing surveillance company that has installed a network of license plate-reading cameras across the nation.
Flock spent nearly $1.3 million between January 2025 and July 2026 on federal lobbying, and at least another $1 million in statehouses across the U.S.
The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission's online database shows three annual lobbying reports filed by Flock Safety for 2022 to 2024. The reports show a combined $42,000 in spending involving "matters affecting law enforcement technology."
In addition to New Jersey, other nearby states where Flock has hired lobbyists include New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, according to OpenSecrets.
Several of Flock's competitors have also been spending millions of dollars on political lobbying, including Axon Enterprise – formerly known as Taser – which has spent nearly $5.3 million on federal lobbying since 2024, and Motorola Solutions, which has spent about $5 million over the same timeframe.
Some law enforcement agencies have said Flock cameras – and other automated license plate readers (ALPRs) – are valuable tools for solving crimes, recovering stolen vehicles and finding missing or endangered people.
Meanwhile, civil rights groups have alleged that ALPRs are a threat to privacy, warning that cameras at intersections, neighborhood entrances and parking lots can track people who are not suspected of crimes and reveal routine trips to workplaces, medical clinics, religious centers or political events.
Flock Safety's website states that the company "strongly supports clear legislation establishing guardrails for license plate reader use."
"Effective frameworks should preserve law enforcement's ability to use an important public safety tool while requiring accountability, oversight and responsible data practices," the company says. "Public safety, privacy and Fourth Amendment rights can – and should – coexist, with each community helping determine the policies that reflect its laws and values."
"Misuse of Flock technology is unacceptable," the company adds. "Every search is auditable, and Flock's Audit Assistance tool detects abnormal activity and flags it for administrator review."
Flock has announced that Audit Assistance will be required for all law enforcement customers by the end of 2026.
"Flock is also implementing proactive lockout, which can automatically suspend access when activity meets defined criteria for abnormal behavior, pending administrator review," the company says. "Case-code requirements for law enforcement searches are also being expanded, with emergency searches flagged for review."
Flock provides one of the most widely used ALPR systems, but it isn't the only company that has been profiting off technology sales to police departments, the ACLU points out: others include Axon, Vigilant Solutions (a subsidiary of Motorola Solutions), Genetec, PlateSmart, Innova Systems, Rekor, ELSAG, Perceptics, and Jenoptik.
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