Flock reportedly offers buyouts amid backlash over surveillance technology

Flock Safety has offered a severance package to employees who voluntarily leave the company, according to a report by Wired. The surveillance technology company reportedly expects a significant portion of its 1,500-person workforce to express interest in the buyouts and says it will grant them to a majority of interested employees.

The company’s internal announcement described the packages as the “most generous” it has ever offered. The voluntary departures could allow Flock Safety to reduce its workforce while addressing low morale linked to continuing criticism of its license plate recognition technology. Wired reported that without the buyouts, Flock would “almost certainly” need to lay off some staff.

The backlash has included allegations that police officers misused Flock technology. In August, The Washington Post identified 46 cases involving officers accused of misuse, including allegations that some officers stalked their wives, girlfriends, or exes. Florida and Texas said they would stop using the startup’s technology.

An anti-surveillance advocacy group also identified 90 cities that dropped Flock in August alone, a fourfold increase from the previous month. Flock CEO Garrett Langley recently told the All-In podcast that the backlash’s “biggest damage” had been to “internal morale.” TechCrunch said it contacted Flock for comment.