US cities are quietly replacing Flock cameras with alternatives

Cities across the U.S. are dropping Flock cameras for Axon systems, with Colorado emerging as a hotspot for the switch. A growing number of U.S. cities are deploying automated license plate readers from Axon as scrutiny of rival surveillance company Flock Safety continues to mount. Recent city council records and police department announcements show municipalities either replacing Flock systems with Axon technology or expanding existing relationships with the Scottsdale, Arizona, company—which is already a major supplier of Tasers, body cameras and digital evidence management systems to law enforcement agencies across the country. The trend was highlighted in an August report by 404 Media, which found that some cities moving away from Flock were not abandoning ALPR cameras altogether, but instead turning to Axon as an alternative provider. Meanwhile, privacy advocates continue to raise concerns about the rapid expansion of license plate reader technology, arguing that the systems can create vast databases tracking the movements of millions of drivers. Newsweek has contacted Axon and Flock Safety for comment via email. Where Axon Cameras Have Been Deployed Several cities have recently approved or announced deployments of Axon license plate reader technology. In Antioch, California, city council documents show that officials approved an agreement for 55 fixed Axon ALPR locations, along with mobile and vehicle-mounted systems. The proposal noted that the Antioch Police Department already used other Axon technologies, including body cameras and digital evidence tools, creating a more integrated platform across the department. In Durango, Colorado, the Durango Police Department announced on September 1 that it would transition its ALPR program from Flock Safety to Axon. Police Chief Brice Current said the city selected Axon because it met the department's public safety needs while incorporating privacy safeguards. "We will transition to Axon, a long-standing technology partner whose ALPR platform meets our standards while balancing safety and privacy in our public-safety technology," he said in a news release. In Bartlesville, Oklahoma, city officials approved police technology contracts that included new Axon ALPR cameras while reducing the number of Flock cameras used by the department. Officials cited the city's existing relationship with Axon technology as part of the decision. 404 Media also identified several communities that replaced Flock systems with Axon as local debates over surveillance technology intensified. These include the following areas: Why Cities Are Moving to Axon Unlike many newer surveillance technology companies, Axon already has long-standing relationships with thousands of law enforcement agencies. Police departments that use Axon body cameras, evidence management tools, in-car video systems and Tasers can integrate those technologies into a single ecosystem. That existing footprint may be helping the company win new business as local governments reexamine relationships with Flock. Speaking to NPR in August, Axon CEO Rick Smith said concerns about Flock had benefited his company. "I would say we're seeing a significant number of agencies want to come over to Axon and convert from existing license plate readers to us, specifically because of the controls and privacy work that we've done around this space," Smith said. How Axon Cameras Compare to Flock Cameras Both companies sell ALPRs designed to help law enforcement investigations by identifying vehicles linked to crimes, locating stolen cars and generating investigative leads. However, the products differ in several important ways. According to the American Civil Liberties Union , Axon initially entered the space through its Fleet in-car camera platform before expanding to fixed roadside license plate reader deployments. Many police agencies already use Axon body cameras, Fleet in-car camera systems, Tasers and Evidence.com software. Adding Axon license plate readers allows departments to manage multiple tools through the same platform. Flock Safety has emphasized the scale of its network. According to the company, participating agencies can access a large nationwide ecosystem of connected cameras and vehicle reads, helping investigators search data across jurisdictions. Flock has argued that this larger network provides greater investigative value, while Axon has focused on integration with existing law enforcement technology systems. ALPR Privacy Concerns Remain Advocates argue that the debate shouldn't focus solely on which company provides the cameras. The ACLU has specifically warned that replacing Flock with another vendor may not solve the underlying privacy concerns associated with ALPR technology. "Simply replacing Flock surveillance with another company's surveillance won't necessarily solve any of the privacy and other civil liberties problems posed by this mass surveillance technology," the nonprofit said in a commentary last month. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the broader license plate reader industry because camera networks can collect large amounts of vehicle-location information and enable information sharing among law enforcement agencies. Critics are concerned about the volume of personal data collected by ALPR systems in general, and the ability of police to search large databases of vehicle records. Supporters of the technology, however, argue that license plate readers can help law enforcement recover stolen vehicles, locate suspects and assist criminal investigations. They say police agencies are increasingly using ALPR systems as investigative tools to improve public safety. As more and more cities reconsider their surveillance programs, the debate increasingly appears to be shifting from whether ALPRs should be deployed at all to what safeguards, oversight measures and privacy protections should accompany their use. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Shakeema Edwards. A growing number of U.S. cities are deploying automated license plate readers from Axon as scrutiny of rival surveillance company Flock Safety continues to mount. Recent city council records and police department announcements show municipalities either replacing Flock systems with Axon technology or expanding existing relationships with the Scottsdale, Arizona, company—which is already a major supplier of Tasers, body cameras and digital evidence management systems to law enforcement agencies across the country.by 404 Media, which found that some cities moving away from Flock were not abandoning ALPR cameras altogether, but instead turning to Axon as an alternative provider. Meanwhile, privacy advocates continue to raise concerns about the rapid expansion of license plate reader technology, arguing that the systems can create vast databases tracking the movements of millions of drivers. Several cities have recently approved or announced deployments of Axon license plate reader technology. In Antioch, California, city council documents show that officials approved an agreement for 55 fixed Axon ALPR locations, along with mobile and vehicle-mounted systems. The proposal noted that the Antioch Police Department already used other Axon technologies, including body cameras and digital evidence tools, creating a more integrated platform across the department. In Durango, Colorado, the Durango Police Department announced on September 1 that it would transition its ALPR program from Flock Safety to Axon. Police Chief Brice Current said the city selected Axon because it met the department's public safety needs while incorporating privacy safeguards. "We will transition to Axon, a long-standing technology partner whose ALPR platform meets our standards while balancing safety and privacy in our public-safety technology," he said in a news release. In Bartlesville, Oklahoma, city officials approved police technology contracts that included new Axon ALPR cameras while reducing the number of Flock cameras used by the department. Officials cited the city's existing relationship with Axon technology as part of the decision. Unlike many newer surveillance technology companies, Axon already has long-standing relationships with thousands of law enforcement agencies. Police departments that use Axon body cameras, evidence management tools, in-car video systems and Tasers can integrate those technologies into a single ecosystem. Speaking to NPR in August, Axon CEO Rick Smith said concerns about Flock had benefited his company. "I would say we're seeing a significant number of agencies want to come over to Axon and convert from existing license plate readers to us, specifically because of the controls and privacy work that we've done around this space," Smith said. Both companies sell ALPRs designed to help law enforcement investigations by identifying vehicles linked to crimes, locating stolen cars and generating investigative leads. According to the American Civil Liberties Union , Axon initially entered the space through its Fleet in-car camera platform before expanding to fixed roadside license plate reader deployments. Many police agencies already use Axon body cameras, Fleet in-car camera systems, Tasers and Evidence.com software. Adding Axon license plate readers allows departments to manage multiple tools through the same platform. Flock Safety has emphasized the scale of its network. According to the company, participating agencies can access a large nationwide ecosystem of connected cameras and vehicle reads, helping investigators search data across jurisdictions. Flock has argued that this larger network provides greater investigative value, while Axon has focused on integration with existing law enforcement technology systems. The ACLU has specifically warned that replacing Flock with another vendor may not solve the underlying privacy concerns associated with ALPR technology. As more and more cities reconsider their surveillance programs, the debate increasingly appears to be shifting from whether ALPRs should be deployed at all to what safeguards, oversight measures and privacy protections should accompany their use.