How Flock and a Texas Police Department Worked Together to Expand Flock Sales

Published Jan 05, 2022 14:53 PM

Flock Safety engaged a Texas police department in an effort to spread Flock cameras to private communities, businesses, and gain referrals to other police agencies, an IPVM investigation shows.

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In this report, primarily based on dozens of emails between the two organizations, IPVM examines how Flock partnered with the Lakeway Police Department in Texas to spread Flock cameras to local neighborhoods and agencies.

Executive *******

****'* ************* ***** ***** ****** **** the ***** ***** ****** ********** ** the ********* ****:

  • ******* ****** ******** *** ***** ** behalf ** ***** ** * ***** homeowner's *********** (***) ***** *******.
  • ******* ****** ******* ***** * ************ contact **** ** **-**** * ******* community *****.
  • ************, ** ****** ***** ******** ********** 3 ***** ****** ** *****, ********* the ****-******* *****.
  • ***** ******** ***** ******* ****** *** possible ***** *****.
  • ******* ****** ******** * ***** ********* community ** *****.

Homeowners ***********: ******* ****** ******** *****

***** **** * *********'* ***********, ***** Hollow ***, **** *** ***** ****** had ******** *****'* *** ******, *** the ************* * **** ******* *******:

***** ********** ***** ****** ******, '***, we've *** **** ****** ******. ****** departments ****** *** ******* *** ********** of **, **. ******.' *** ****** was ********* ** ** **** ** with *** *********** ** ******* ******.

*******, *** *** ************** **** ** did *** **** **** *** **** itself *** *** ******** ** **.

** ******* ** **** **** ***** a **** ******* **** *** ****. We ****'* ******* ** ****'* ****** by *** **** ** *** *****.

******* ************** ************** ******** **** **** "*** *** ** our ****** ***** ** *** *** any ******** **** ** *** ********* by *** **** ******** ********. ********* on *** *************, ******** ********* ****** from ********** **** ** **** *******."

*** *** ************** **** ****** **** someone **** * ****** ********** ********* to *** *** ******** ** *** the ****** ******, ******** ** *** unsure ******* **** ****** ******** ** Lakeway **:

** ************* **, * ***'* **** if ** *** * ******* ****** Department ******, *** ******** **** * police ********** **** *** **** * presentation ** *** *** ***** ****** worked. *** **** **** **, * guess ** **** **** ** *** to **** ********** **** **** *** something **'** ***** ** *********** ****, not ***** ********* *** ** ** overreach **.

HOA's ***** ****** ********** *******

*** ***'* *** ****** *** ********** removed ** **** **, ****, ***** the **** ******* ******* ********** *** cameras **** ********* ** **** ***** without **********. ***** *** ***** *** into ******* ****** **** ******* ** receive ****** ********** *** ************ ****** ***** ******* **** ********* **** removed** ******* ** ****** ****.

*******, ****-******* ****** ***** **** ******* had ****** ** *** ** ***** his ********** ****** ** *** *********-***** cameras, ******** ** "*** *** **** the ********* ** **** *** ***," Lakeway **** ****. ************** **** **** *** ******** ** chief ** **** *, ****.

Police: "******** * ***" ** ***** ******'* ***

IPVM Image******, ** ***** **** ******** **** from******* ** ******** ***** ******* ***** ****** **** **** ** had **** "******** * *** ** the *** ** *** *** *** our ******* ***********," ** **** **** the *** **************'* ******** ** *** city ******* *******. **** "******* ***********" refers ** ***** ******, ******* ************** Director ****** **** ********* ** ****.

IPVM Image

Police ** *** *** ***** *******

*******, ******* ******* ** *** *** City ** ******* ********* *** ***** cameras, *** **** **** ****. *******, Lakeway **** **** ****** ** ******* in *** *********** **** ** *** Cave, ** ******* ******** ******** ******** for *** ****:

******* ** ** *** **** ** Lakeway **** *** *** ***** ****** cameras, ******* *** **** ** ****, and ** ** ******** ******** *** the **** ** *** ****, ** Lakeway ******** *** ****** *** ******* in *** **** ** *** ****. However, ******* **** *** **** ******* in *** ****.

Key ***** **********: ********* ********** *** **** *********

*****, ******* **, ***** ****** *********** engaged ** * *** ********** ** spread *****, ********* ** ****** ******** by ****.

************, ***** ***** **** ****** ** host ***** ********* ********** ******. *** example, ******* ** ***** ** ****** of ***** ** ** *** ***** meeting *** ****** * **** ** community ******** **** *****.

***** **** ******** ** ***** *********, Flock **** **** **** ********* ** reach ***** ****** *********** *** ******* organizations **** *** ** ********** ** installing *****.

Police ****** *** ***** *******

** ***** **, ****, *******'* ******** Brown *** ***** *************** *** **** the ***** ** ********* **** ***** Hollow's ****** *********. *** ***** **** considering ********** ***** *******, ***** ***** Hollow *** ******* ********* ******* (***** taken **** ** **** ****):

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***** ***** ******* ** *** * "favor" ** ****** *** *** ******* to **** "***** **** ******* **** Flock ****** *** *** ** ***** Lakeway ** ***** *****."

IPVM Image

*** ******* ****** ********** ************** ********* on ****** ** ***** ** **** meeting, **** *** ***** ************** ******* a ******-** **** ** ***. *****, thanking *** *** "******** *** ***** curveball ********* **** * ********."

IPVM Image

*******, *** ****** ********* ********** *** not ****** ** ******** *** *******:

IPVM Image

*** ***** ****** *** ********* ** IPVM **** *** *** *** *** purchased *** *** ***** ******* ***** the **** **** *******:

**. **** ****** *** ******* *** the **** ** ******* ** ********* their ******** ****** *** *******.

Lakeway ** *** ***** ******* ********* ********** ******

***** **** ******* **** *** ***** directly, ***** *** ****** *********** **** host ********* ****** ** "******* ** the ***** ** *** ** **** solve *****."

***** ********* ********** ****** ********* ****** and ****** ************ ****, ********* ** an ***** ******* *****'* ******** ** Marketing, ********* ************* ********* ***. ***** ** ******* **:

IPVM Image

***** ******* * ******* **** **** the ****** ********** **** *********** ***** *** *******, ** ****** ****** ***** ** build ******-********* *********:

IPVM Image

** ** ******* ******* ******* ** ultimately **** * ******* ********* ***** with *****. *******, *****'* ********* ******** included ******** ** *** ********* ****** held ** ***** *** ********** ** her ***** ** ******* ******:

IPVM Image

Police ********* * *** ********

**** ********* **** ***** ****** *********** are ******** ** *** ***** ****** its *******. **** ****** ******** **** professional ***** ******* ******** ** *** Flock ******* ***** *** *********** ********.

***** ********* *** ******* ****** ********** in ***-******** ****, **** *****'* ***** Texas ********* *******,******* *****,********* ****-***** **** *******, ******* **** the ****** ***** **** ************ "**** me **** ***":

IPVM Image

*** ***** *****, ** ******** **, 2020, *** ****-************ *****,******* *******, ******* *******'* ***** *** *** other ******-**** ******, *********** **** ** the **** ***** ********* *******:

IPVM Image

******* ********* ** *******'* *****, ****** the ***** ************** ** "**** [***] some ***********."

IPVM Image

Flock **** ****** *** *****

***** **** ********* ** **** ***********, Flock **** ***** ******* ****** *** leads ** ******* ********** ** ************* that *** ** ********** ** *** cameras. *** **** **** ***** ****** would **** **** ***** ***** ** traffic ****** ***** ***** **** ** astute ********.

*** *******, ** ******* ****, ***** asked *******'* ******** ***** ******* ** could ***** "*** ***** ************* ** businesses **** ***** ******* **** ****** Flock."

IPVM Image

****, ** ******** ****, ***** ******** Flock's ******* **** ******* *** ********** identify *** ******** ******** *** ******* stolen ********. ***** ***** ******************** *************** *** ***** ******* *** ***** "pick [***] ***** ***** **** ************* are **** ** **** ** *******."

IPVM Image

* ***** *****, ** ***** ****, Flock ***** ** ***** *** "*** agencies [******* **] ***** ******* ****" that *** ******* ***** ******* ****. However, ***** ******* **** ***** *****'* "really *** ***** ******** **** [**] could ***** **."

IPVM Image

Police ***** ********* ********* ** *****

******* ****** ******** * ********* ********* to ***** ** ***** ****, ****** that *** ********** *** **** "******* closely **** ***** ******" ** ******* and **** *** ******* "**** **** extremely ******/*******."

IPVM Image

Opportunities *** ***** *** *****

***** ***** ********* *** ******** ************* and ***** ** ******* ******* **** local ****** ***********, ** **** ***** both ******* *** ********** ********. **** Flock *** ***** ****** *********** *** private ***** **** ** ******* ********** and ****** ***** *********** *** ********** cameras.

******, ***** *********** **** *********** **** council ********, *****, ********, ***. ***** so ********* *** ***** ** ***** cameras *** *** ***** *** ******* their ******** ***** *** ****** ****** it ** *** ** *****.

******** ******* ****** ** ****** ************ ***** its $*** ******* ** ****** ******* from ****, ** **** ** *********** ** the ******* ********* ** *** **** issues **** ****** ** *** ******* of *** *******.

Comments (14)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jan 05, 2022

**'* ****** ******* **** ******* *** the *** ***** ******-**** *********** ******** went ***** ******** ******** ***** **** way. *** ***** **** ** ***? It ***** **** ** ***** ** a *********** *** * ***** ********** project.

* ****** **** **** ** *** (unless *** ************ *** **** ** the **-****). **** ** **** ******* within *** **** '*** *** *******.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jan 05, 2022

**** ** * ***** *****, ***'* it?

** ***** ** *********** ** *** more ****** ******* ***** **********, *************, and *********** **** **** ********.

JH
John Honovich
Jan 05, 2022
IPVM

*** ** *** ********* *** ***** of **** ** ****** *** *********. Also, ******* ******* -****: ******* ***** **,***+ *********** ****** to ** ****** *********

(1)
(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jan 05, 2022

** *** ******** ** ***, *** will **** * *** **** ********** like ***** ********* ** *** *******. I **** ********** **** ** ******** where *** *********** ********, ******* ***** reps *******, **** * **** **** for ***** ** ******* ********. ***** is ***** ** ********* *** ** building ************* **** ** ********, **** leveraging ***** ************* ** ***** *******. Even **** *** ******** **** ** funding ** ******* ** ******* **** on ***** *** *******, **** **** push ***** ******* ***** **** **** them ** ******* ******** ****** *** LE ************ *** **** *** ****** to *** ******* **** ** *** agency.

***** *** * ****** ****** ** LPR ******* ******, *** ***** **** a ****-****-**** **** **** *** ***'* NCIC ********, *** ** **** * few ******* *** **, *** ** those ******* **** **** ******, ***** is *** ********. ******* **** ***** cost ($*,***/**. *** ******) **** ****-***** and ******** *********, *** ****** **********, and *** *** * **** ******** sales ******. *** *** ******* ****** in * ***** **** ** ****** cameras *** **** ***** **** ********** sale **** **** ** ************ ******.

(2)
(3)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
Jan 06, 2022

** ** *** *** **** **** time ** **** **** *** *** database ** **** **** * ***** camera? **** ** *****. *** ******* and ***** ******!

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jan 06, 2022

*** *** ***** *** **** ****** to *** **** ****. *** *** can *** ** ***** *** *** lists ** ****, *** *** ****-***** alerts ********* ** *** ******* **** go ** *** ** ******** **** have **** ******* ****** ** ****. So ** *** ***** ****** *** enter *** ******* ***** ** *** or *** ******** **** **** ***'* like *** **** *** ****** **** an ***** ******** *** ********'* *** drives ** (** **** ** * manual ****** *** *** *** ***** that ***** *** **** **** ** the **** ** ****), *** *** HOA ***** ****** ***** *** *** an ***** ********* ****** * *** flagged ****** ** **** ***** **.

U
Undisclosed #7
Jan 06, 2022

*** ***** ****** ***** *** *** an ***** ********* ****** * *** flagged ****** ** **** ***** **.

** * ** ****** *** ****** to *** ***'* ****** - ***** they *** * **** ******* ***** (or *** *****) ******* *** ***'* database?

*********, ** *** **** ** *** NCIC *** * *** ***** ******* the ***** **'* ******** ** **** are *********?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jan 07, 2022

*** ***** ** *** *** ******** plate **** **** ******* *** ***** cameras ** ***** **** **** ******. The ***** ******** ********* ***** * 30 *** *******.

*** **** **** **** ** *** data **** ***** ** **** **** those ****** ** **** ** ***** systems (**** **** ** ****), ** in **** ***** *** **** *** run * ***** ***** ***** ** data. *** ***** ** ** *** from *** **** ********* ****** ** access ******** * ***** ** ********. If ***** ** *** *** ****** the ***** ** ****, **** *****'* have ****** ** **.

**** ************* **** ******** ****** ****** or **** ***** *** ******* **** NCIC. *** *******, ** ****** ***** have * ****** **** **** ****** 2 ***** ** * ******* ***** reported ****** *** ******* ******** *** report ****** **** ******* *** ***** into *** ******. **** **** * recovery, ***** ** ****** * ******* amount ** **** ** **** ** will ** ****** ** *******. *** humans *** ***** ***, ** * result, ** *** ***** **** ***** are *****/*******/********* ******* ** **** ******* of ***** ***** ** * ******* to ***/****** * *****.

**** ** ****** ********, *** **'* certainly *** ***%. ** ***** ** fascinating ** *** ** * **** request ** *** *** ***** ****** any *********** **** *** ****** ***** track ** *** **** ****** ***/** stale ******* ***** *** ** **** database.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jan 05, 2022

*** * ******, ********* ******* ********. Very **** ****.

(3)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Jan 06, 2022

****** *** ******* * **** **** today ***** *****. ***** *** **** in **** ****** **** ****** ********** officials **** ********* ********.

*** ***** ******* ****** *** **** got ****** ****** ** ***** * competitive ******* ******* **** * **** source.

*******’* ****** *** * **** **** vehicle ********* ****, **** ** *** scrapped | **** **** *****

(1)
JH
John Honovich
Jan 07, 2022
IPVM

#*, ******, *********** *********! * *** excerpts *** ******:

***** ****** ********** *** ******* ** the **** ****** ** *** ****** fully ********* ** **** **********, ***., the ****** ****** ********** ******* **** makes *** ****-**** ******* ******** ** NHCSO...

** ** ****** ***, ***** ****** is *** ** ******** ********* ** the ***** ** ******* *********** **** to ********* **** ****’* ********.*** ** some ******. **** ** ****** ***** the ****’* ************, *******, ** **** Axon *** **** * “********, ***-*********** investment ** ***** ******,” *** *** two ********* **** ** ******** ***********...

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Jan 06, 2022

* **** ** * ********* **** was ******* ** ***** ***** ******* "break-ins". *** ********* ***** ***** ****** and **** **** **** ******* ** cars ****** ** ********* ***** **** find ***** ************ **** ********. ** was ******* ** *** **** * community ******* *** ****. * ****** after ** ***** **** *** ***** of ****** ***** *** ******* *** offered ** ********** *** **** **** not ******* ******** ** ****** **** in ********** *** ********* * ******* that ***** ****. * *** *** in * ******** **** * ******* that ***** ******* *** **** ** the **** ** * *** **** interest ** ******* *** ****, * simply ****** ** ******* *** *********. The **** ***** * ****, * see ***** ***** ******* ***** ** all **** *** ****. * *** a *** ** ******** *** *** not ******** ** *** *** *** tax ******* **** ***** *****. ** this ******* ******, * ***'* ******* the ********** ***** ******* *** ******* are ******** *******. ***** **** ** get **** **** **** *** **** to *** ** **** *** **** working *** **** ** *** ** the **** *** * ***** **** Flock. ***** *** ***** ** *** put ***, ***** * ******* ** the *******, *** **** *** ** a ****** **** *** ** *** over *** *****.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #6
Jan 06, 2022

*****, ********** #*:

*** **** ***** ******** ** *** medium-sized ****** **** * ** ***** of. **** **** ******* ***'*. **** I ***** ** **** **** **** shocked ** *** ********* *** *** massive ************ ******* ***. **** **** heard ** *****. ***** ** ** a ***** **** *** *** *** done. * ***'* **** ** ***** was ** *** *** ** *** look *** **** ** ***** **** they *** **********. ** ** *********, they **** ** ******** ** ******* with ***********.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jan 07, 2022

** ** **** ****, ***** ******* a **-*** ***** *** ** *******. The **** ******** *** ******** ** the ******* ********* *** ******* ** months ** * **** ** $**,*** ($2,500 *** ******) **** *** *** schedule *****. ********** ******* ***** ** installed ** $*** **** (*****) **** an ****** *** ** $*,*** ****.

* ***** ******* ***** ** ***** now *** **'* *********** **** *** contracted "****** ******" ****** * ***** part ** ******* *** ******* ******* to *** **** ********** ********* *****, leading ** *** ********* ** *** new *************, *** *** **************** *********.

****,******* ******* **** * ******* ********** during * ***** ***** ** ******** Meeting. ***** ** **** *********** ********* known ****** ** *****.

Reinstall *** ********

***** * ********** **** **** ********** Locations *** ********* *** **** ****** upon ** **** ***** *** *** Customer, *** ********** ******* ** *** deployment **** (“**********”) ****** ** * Customer's ******* **** ***** * *** per *** ***** *****.

*** **** *** *** ********* ** required ***** (** *** **** **** a ********* ** ********* *** *** completed), *** ******* ***** *** *********.

********* ** *** ****

********* ***

****** ** **** **********

$***

****** *********** ** * ****** ** vandalism, *****, ** ***** ***** ******

$***

**** *********** ** * ****** ** vandalism, *****, ** ***** ***** ******

$***

**** *******

$***

***** ********** - ******** *******

$***

************ ** ********** ***** ****** **** (including **** ** ****)

$***

******* ****** ** *** ** ********** outlet (********* **** ** ********** ****)

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***** **** *****/********** ***** **** **** not ****** ** * ********* ***** required

$***

(1)