Forbes is reporting that FedEx collaborates with local law enforcement to establish an AI-driven car surveillance network. Forbes has uncovered that FedEx is leveraging AI technology from Flock Safety, a $4 billion startup specializing in car surveillance, to monitor its distribution and cargo facilities across the U.S. Through this arrangement, FedEx is sharing Flock surveillance feeds with law enforcement, a practice Flock maintains with at least four other major private companies. Documents reveal that some local police departments also share their Flock feeds with FedEx, marking a rare instance of a private company utilizing a police surveillance system.
Civil rights advocates express concern over such close collaboration, fearing it could significantly expand Flock’s car surveillance network, which already spans 4,000 cities across over 40 states with approximately 40,000 cameras tracking vehicles by license plate, make, model, color, and other identifying features. Lisa Femia, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warns that private entities are not subject to the same transparency laws as police, potentially leaving the public uninformed while expanding a mass surveillance network.
Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, describes the data exchange between FedEx and law enforcement as "profoundly disconcerting." He questions why a private company would have privileged access to data typically reserved for law enforcement.
FedEx declined to elaborate on its partnership with Flock. Spokesperson Phalisha Jackson emphasized the company's commitment to team member safety but did not provide details on security procedures.
The extent of law enforcement sharing Flock data with FedEx remains unclear. Publicly available lists show that the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee and the Pittsboro Police Department in Indiana have granted the FedEx Air Carrier Police Department access to their Flock cameras. John Morris, public information officer at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed this collaboration, stating that they share Flock license plate reader data with FedEx in the same manner as with other law enforcement agencies.
Pittsboro police chief Scott King acknowledged FedEx's access to their Flock feeds but noted that the data exchange is one-way; the police department does not request access to private systems, only those listed under law enforcement.
FedEx also shares its Flock camera feeds with other police departments, such as the Greenwood Police Department in Indiana. Assistant Chief Matthew Fillenwarth confirmed this, and Morris from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office stated that his department also accesses FedEx's Flock feeds. The Memphis Police Department mentioned receiving surveillance camera feeds from FedEx through its Connect Memphis system but did not confirm if these were powered by Flock.
Founded in 2017, Flock Safety has raised over $482 million in venture capital from investors like Andreessen Horowitz. This funding has enabled Flock to expand its network of cameras across the U.S. through contracts with public police departments and private businesses.
Forbes has identified at least four major corporations using Flock, none of which had publicly disclosed their contracts with the company. Previously, Forbes reported that Simon Property, the country’s largest mall owner, and home improvement giant Lowe’s are significant clients. Both companies have shared their Flock camera feeds with local police. Lowe’s, for instance, shares its feeds with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesperson Michael Allinger said the agency, while not a paying customer, can access cameras owned by private entities, including shopping malls, residential areas maintained by homeowners’ associations, and schools.
Additionally, Kaiser Permanente, the largest health insurance company in America, shares Flock data with the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, which supports local and federal police investigating major crimes. Kaiser Permanente confirmed using Flock technology to protect its members, patients, visitors, employees, and physicians at its facilities. Kathleen Chambers, a spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente, highlighted the use of license plate readers as a visual deterrent and their effectiveness in collaboration with law enforcement, though she did not specify where the cameras were deployed.
Joshua Thomas, Flock’s senior vice president of policy and communications, declined to comment on private customers. He stated that Flock’s technology helps bolster public safety efforts by providing objective video evidence, crucial for solving crimes. Thomas emphasized that Flock supports its customers in sharing evidence legally.
Flock claims its technology helps solve thousands of crimes nationwide and aims to leverage technology to eliminate crime. However, Forbes previously reported that Flock's marketing data likely exaggerated its impact on crime rates and that the company had potentially violated laws by installing cameras without proper permits in various states.
A prior version of this article quoted Assistant Chief Fillenwarth of the Greenwood Police Department, who mentioned Ulta Beauty as a Flock customer. The company later clarified that it was not a Flock customer but understood that an adjacent industrial park used Flock.
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