Flock Has a Powerful New AI Tool for Police. We Got Its Code
Police are already using Flock's next-gen AI surveillance system. WIRED reverse-engineered it to show how far it goes beyond license plates.
Why it matters
An AI surveillance tool deployed in law enforcement is operating at scale with capabilities that exceed public understanding. This matters to practitioners building AI systems subject to public scrutiny and to anyone tracking how AI is reshaping policing and civil liberties.
The key facts
10 to knowFlock Safety operating next-generation AI system in police departments
WIRED obtained and reconstructed Flock's code to analyze capabilities
System goes significantly beyond license-plate recognition
Technology already in active use by some police departments
Raises questions about surveillance scope and public transparency
Flock's next-generation AI system already in use by some police departments
System goes beyond license plate tracking capabilities
WIRED reverse-engineered code to confirm functionality
Existing outrage over Flock surveillance cameras
Published August 2026
Go to the source
Wired AIwired.com
Publisher excerpt: Flock’s surveillance cameras have already sparked outrage. WIRED reconstructed its next-generation AI system, already in use by some police, to confirm it goes much further than tracking license plates.