Flock cuts 18% of staff as license-plate reader backlash grows

Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel told TechCrunch on Friday that Flock recently offered current employees a "generous Voluntary Separation Program" as part of efforts to position the company for its next phase of growth. "This was a voluntary program, not a layoff, and reflects our continued focus on building a strong, sustainable business for the future," Lewbel said. Flock's spokesperson declined to comment further when asked by TechCrunch whether chief executive Garrett Langley or other executives took a pay cut as part of the program.

Wired reported last month that Flock was asking some employees to leave, citing the need to shrink staff to avoid mandatory layoffs.

The workforce reduction comes amid mounting criticism from communities across the United States and legislators seeking to rein in what critics describe as a privately run mass surveillance program. Flock has installed more than 100,000 license plate-reading cameras across the U.S., which allow police and federal agents to track the location and whereabouts of vehicles passing by them. Dozens of police officers have been arrested, fired, or forced to resign for abusing access to Flock's system to search, track, and stalk people without a warrant or their permission.

Some cities have moved to take down Flock's cameras after public outcry, but Flock quickly replaced them, prompting some Americans to destroy the cameras. The company has also faced criticism over its cybersecurity, including allowing cameras to be publicly exposed and accessible from the web. Security experts have questioned Flock's accuracy after the system misidentified license plates, leading to improper police stops and arrests. In one case, a journalist driving an authorized review vehicle was affected, according to the report.

Several law enforcement departments, including the Los Angeles Police Department, have allowed their contracts with Flock to expire or lapse, citing privacy and civil liberties concerns.