How Cops Use Flock to Track People, Not Cars

404 Media · 5 hours ago

Police departments have used Flock's FreeForm search feature hundreds of times to track specific people based on descriptions like clothing, body type, and accessories rather than license plates, with some searches spanning dozens to hundreds of camera networks. Flock launched FreeForm in February 2025, and searches reviewed by 404 Media show officers querying systems for vague descriptors such as 'person on skateboard,' 'male with tattoos,' and in one case 274 cameras searched for someone in a 'gray shirt.' Civil liberties advocates warn this capability represents a significant expansion of surveillance beyond the stolen vehicle tracking Flock was pitched as, enabling police to track people across wide geographic areas based on limited information without explicit community consent or understanding.