Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) isn't happy with Flock Safety, and he's not being shy about it. On Wednesday, he launched an investigation into the company's nationwide license-plate camera network, demanding to know exactly who can access Americans' vehicle data. His trigger? What he calls the "abuse and misuse of personal data."

Hawley Targets Scope Of Flock Network

In a letter to CEO Garrett Langley, Hawley laid out the scale of the operation: Flock has built an "unprecedented national surveillance network" with more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states, conducting roughly 20 billion vehicle scans each month. The senator's point is stark: "The overwhelming majority of Americans captured in those records did nothing wrong."

Hawley isn't alone in his concerns. The probe comes amid a growing bipartisan backlash. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) recently called Flock's system "AI mass surveillance," while Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) urged police to "GET A WARRANT" before using the technology.

Cities Pull Back As Privacy Concerns Grow

The pushback isn't just rhetorical. St. Charles County, Missouri, stopped using Flock after the company's new audit tool flagged a civilian police employee who admitted to using the system for a personal, non-law-enforcement purpose. And on Wednesday, Tempe and Cave Creek, Arizona, both moved to end their Flock contracts, citing mounting privacy worries.

The Associated Press reported last week that thousands of agencies can search and share Flock data across jurisdictions, and that more than 50 agencies or communities have canceled, suspended, or rejected contracts, or deactivated cameras this year alone.

Flock has responded with new safeguards, announced Aug. 13. The company says it will cut its recommended default retention period from 30 days to seven, require Audit Assistance for law-enforcement customers, introduce automatic lockouts for abnormal activity, and require case codes for searches by year-end. Flock also emphasizes that customers own their data and decide who can access or share it.

Hawley Presses Flock For Privacy Answers

The Justice Department has acknowledged both sides of the technology. A 2024 report noted that license-plate readers can help catch violent offenders and find abducted children, but also warned that systems can misread plates, misidentify stolen vehicles, and create privacy risks without strong safeguards.

Hawley isn't convinced the current protections are enough. He cited false alerts and alleged personal searches as evidence that safeguards are falling short. "Errors and false positives add insult to injury," he wrote.

He's given Flock until Sept. 8 to provide documents, adding a pointed reminder: "Americans do not surrender their privacy rights when they drive to work, drop their kids off at school or go to church."