Flock Offers Employees Buyouts as Customers Flee | WIREDSkip to main contentTHE WIRED APP IS HEREDOWNLOAD NOW »MenuWIREDSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuWIREDAccountAccountNewslettersSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoLivestreamsWIRED StoreSearchSearchParesh DaveDhruv MehrotraBusinessSep 18, 2026 10:22 PMFlock Offers Employees Buyouts as Customers FleeAs dozens of cities end contracts for its controversial license plate readers, Flock is rolling out a voluntary severance program, WIRED has learned.A Flock Safety license plate recognition camera in Boulder, Colorado.Matthew Jonas/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyFlock Safety announced a voluntary employee separation program on Friday, offering a “generous” severance package to those who want to leave amid growing backlash against the surveillance technology company, according to an internal email shared with WIRED.Applications for Flock’s voluntary severance program opened Friday, and employees have until October 2 to decide whether to leave the company. Flock expects to grant buyouts to the majority of workers who apply, according to the email. People familiar with the program but not authorized to discuss it publicly say they believe that a significant number of the startup’s roughly 1,500 employees may try to depart.Flock is making the severance offers as it continues to lose customers amid growing frustration across the US about its sprawling network of license plate readers, which have raised concerns about privacy and misuse. In the last month, WIRED has documented officers allegedly abusing Flock to track former romantic partners and colleagues, exposed how widely some agencies share access to the system, shown how little is known about the manufacturing of the devices, and revealed in new detail how much information Flock’s cameras collect based on data from a dismantled Flock device.Got a Tip?Are you a current or former Flock employee who wants to talk about what’s happening? We’d like to hear from you. Using a nonwork phone or computer, contact the reporters securely on Signal at peard33.24 & dmehro.89Founded in 2017, Flock raised money at a valuation of more than $8 billion in a funding round that closed in April. The company has had many of its contracts either not extended or dropped this year, which could leave it short of revenue goals, according to two of the people. A wave of vandalism targeting its cameras has unexpectedly increased expenses. Without buyouts, Flock almost certainly would have to lay off some staff, one of the people believes.In an internal announcement, Flock said the separation program provides “greater agency” for its workers and “treats employees with transparency, respect, and choice.” It also described the package as the “most generous” ever offered by the company, roughly double its previous severance offers.Flock did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Some Flock employees have said they have received buyout offers in the range of tens of thousands of dollars, one of the people said. The package also gives employees several months of health care coverage and the ability to exercise stock options within two years after separation, a longer period than the company typically offers resigning employees, according to the email and people familiar with the offer.Flock employees are expected to learn whether their applications were accepted on October 9, according to the email. Most accepted employees would leave the company by October 29, though in some cases Flock may ask employees to remain for another one to three months.People familiar with Flock’s severance plan tell WIRED that some employees may take the offer amid speculation that the company, which has raised about $1.2 billion in venture capital, might resort to selling off parts or all of its business to stay afloat. “When you see enough of the vandalism” targeting Flock cameras this year, one of the people says, “you know the writing is the wall” that something has to change.Flock CEO Garrett Langley said on the All-In podcast last month that “the biggest damage” caused by the backlash against the company had been “internal morale.”“Because you go on to X or you go on to Reddit and you go, why are people so mad at us when we've been doing the same thing for nine years?” Langley said. “And why are they so mad at us for things we don't do? And we just want people to be safe.”One advocacy group identified 93 city and county governments that cut ties with Flock in August alone. Overall in 2026, roughly three times as many local governments have dropped Flock compared to the previous five years.Flock has recently been building products that extend the company beyond its core license plate reader offering. WIRED reported last month that the company has developed AI-powered investigative software to identify drivers, find potential associates based on patterns of movement, and search across police records and other data.A separate WIRED analysis of Flock’s software found tools designed to continuously search camera feeds for people matching written descriptions. WIRED’s analysis of Flock’s code also found potential integrations with drones and other surveillance systems.CommentsBack to topJoin the discussionCommentsBack to topTriangleYou Might Also LikeIn your inbox: WIRED's most ambitious, future-defining storiesAI slop backlash is actually having an impactBig Story: The cop who took on FlockThe rise of the 1am job interviewWatch: I stole a car by hacking this hidden deviceParesh Dave is a senior writer for WIRED, covering the inner workings of Big Tech companies. He writes about how apps and gadgets are built and about their impacts while giving voice to the stories of the underappreciated and disadvantaged. He was previously a reporter for Reuters and the Los Angeles Times, ... Read MoreSenior WriterDhruv Mehrotra is an investigative data reporter at WIRED, where he uses technology to find, build, and analyze datasets for accountability journalism. His reporting has examined surveillance, policing, data brokers, platforms, and the government agencies and companies that use them.
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Flock is implementing a voluntary employee separation program, offering generous severance packages to employees responding to growing public backlash against the surveillance technology company, as reported by WIRED. This decision to offer buyouts stems from declining customer retention amid widespread frustration concerning the company's network of license plate readers and allegations of misuse. The application period opened Friday, and employees have until October 2 to decide whether to leave, with Flock expecting to grant buyouts to the majority of applicants. These severance offers are described internally as the most generous ever provided by the company, roughly double previous severance amounts, and include several months of health care coverage along with the ability to exercise stock options within two years post-separation.

This internal action is occurring as Flock grapples with financial instability, noting that many of its contracts have either been dropped or not extended this year, potentially jeopardizing revenue goals. Furthermore, vandalism targeting the cameras has unexpectedly increased operational expenses. Beyond the financial pressures, the company experienced significant internal damage stemming from the external controversy. Flock CEO Garrett Langley indicated that the most significant damage inflicted by the backlash was to internal morale, questioning why the public was so upset given the company’s established practices, emphasizing a desire for public safety.

The reasons for the external backlash are rooted in revelations documented by WIRED regarding the technology's scope and implementation. Investigations revealed allegations that officers allegedly used Flock systems to track former partners or colleagues, details concerning the extent of data sharing among agencies, and a lack of transparency regarding the manufacturing and data collection processes of the devices. Moreover, analysis of Flock’s software indicated features designed to continuously search camera feeds for individuals matching written descriptions, and there were findings suggesting potential integrations with drone and other surveillance systems.

Flock is expanding its offerings beyond license plate readers into developing advanced products, including AI-powered investigative software that can identify drivers, locate associates based on movement patterns, and search police records. This expansion reflects a broader trend in the industry, as demonstrated by the fact that a significant number of city and county governments have severed ties with Flock, with roughly three times as many local governments dropping the service in 2026 compared to the previous five years, following a bipartisan effort aimed at compelling the company to face greater accountability or risk losing federal highway funding. The broader context involves ongoing scrutiny of artificial intelligence, with reports detailing the potential for AI tools to unearth personal information and the general apprehension among experts regarding the deployment of advanced surveillance technologies.