Flock contracts expand city surveillance bills through bundles and long terms

A WIRED investigation found that Flock Safety's contracts can expand municipal surveillance spending through additional products, bundles and multiyear agreements. The publication obtained records from a dozen customers and compared them with public information from more than a dozen others. Covington, Georgia, paid $40,000 for 20 cameras in 2020 and $201,000 through August 2026, including $100,200 for new software products. Alpharetta's annual bill reached $381,000 in 2025 as it expanded cameras and software. Flock retains ownership of its equipment, requiring cities to return it when contracts end and pay for damaged or stolen units. Its prices appeared comparable to competitors, but Lorain County's sheriff recently announced cancellation after a proposed 17 percent increase in its two-year rate for 15 cameras.