Documented Incident
Flock makes audit tools and search justifications mandatory, cuts default data retention to 7 days
Event: August 13, 2026 · First reported: August 13, 2026 · 6 sources
Flock announced on Thursday, August 13, 2026, that it will require all law enforcement customers to enable its "Audit Assistance" tool by the end of the year, which flags unusual search patterns and locks users out pending an administrator review. The company will also mandate that officers enter a case number to justify each search, with exceptions for what it calls genuine emergencies that are automatically flagged. Flock says it is reducing its standard data retention period from 30 days to seven, though agencies can adjust it under state or local policy, and is adding an "evidence mode" for longer preservation tied to a case number. CEO Garrett Langley told CNN the changes were prompted by his conversations about public distrust of police, and said he would like state regulators to require audits and stiffer penalties for abuse across all police technology.
The changes shift several oversight features from optional to mandatory across Flock's customer base, which could set a baseline for how ALPR searches are logged and reviewed nationwide. They also arrive as some cities have cancelled Flock contracts, making the adequacy of vendor-imposed guardrails versus binding local or state rules a live question for communities weighing deployments.
Key facts
- Flock says roughly one-third of its agency customers had already enabled Audit Assistance before it became mandatory; all must have it on by the end of 2026.
- Court documents cited in the report describe a former Milwaukee police officer who used Flock 124 times to search for the location of a romantic partner.
- Standard data retention drops from 30 days to seven days, with agencies able to adjust based on state or local policy; the ACLU and others had criticized the 30-day default.
- Local jurisdictions will be given the option to restrict what outside agencies can search their camera data for — for example, permitting theft investigations but not immigration enforcement.
- The article notes a string of officer resignations and arrests over alleged misuse; arrests are not convictions, and outcomes of those cases are not described.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Flock rolls out new police auditing and accountability controls following surveillance concerns (KEZI, August 13, 2026)
- Flock Rolls Out New Police Auditing And Accountability Controls Following Surveillance Concerns (The Seattle Medium, August 13, 2026)
- Flock rolls out new police auditing and accountability controls following surveillance concerns (Koat Action News Seven, August 13, 2026)
- Flock rolls out new police auditing and accountability controls following surveillance concerns (Scripps News, August 13, 2026)
- Flock rolls out new police auditing and accountability controls following surveillance concerns (CNN, August 13, 2026)
- Flock rolls out new police auditing and accountability controls following surveillance concerns (koamnewsnow.com, August 14, 2026)
About this record
BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.
Updated August 17, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.