Sen. Josh Hawley opens investigation into Flock Safety camera access to Americans’ data

Sen. Josh Hawley, the Republican chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, has launched an investigation into Flock Safety’s national network of roadside cameras, pressing the company to explain who has access to personal data collected from Americans, according to a letter sent to Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley reported Tuesday by The Hill.

Hawley’s request centers on questions of custody and control over the data collected by Flock cameras, including identifying who is able to access Americans’ information captured by the devices, and under what authority that access occurs. In his letter, Hawley demanded details on how the information is handled across the network, The Hill reported.

The investigation comes amid broader scrutiny in Congress and at the state and local level of how private vendors that collect footage and related measurements from cameras used in public spaces share information with government partners. Hawley’s focus, as described by The Hill, is not on whether the cameras operate, but on what safeguards exist and who can view the resulting personal data.

Flock Safety has positioned its technology as supporting public safety and investigations by giving law enforcement a tool for tracking leads. Hawley’s letter, however, raises a separate set of questions, seeking clarity on whether data access is limited to appropriate personnel and purposes, and whether the company can identify categories of individuals who can obtain information from the system.

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, led by Hawley, oversees issues related to crime policy and counterterrorism, and the subcommittee’s work regularly intersects with questions about government and private-sector practices involving sensitive information. Hawley’s inquiry into the company’s access controls is designed to compile information that lawmakers can use in considering oversight, potential legislative changes, or oversight hearings.

The Hill report did not provide the content of Flock’s response or specific internal policies, and it did not indicate whether the investigation will lead to subpoenas or other compulsory process. Hawley’s next steps, timing, and the scope of any follow-on requests would depend on what the company provides in response to the letter and what additional questions emerge from the subcommittee’s review.