Hawley invites AI camera manufacturers’ CEOs to US Senate — The Hill
Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri has invited the heads of Flock Safety, Axon, Motorola Solutions and Verkada to a US Senate hearing on artificial intelligence-powered automatic license plate recognition cameras. As The Hill reports, the hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism is scheduled for September 23.
Hawley, who chairs the subcommittee, sent letters to Flock’s Garrett Langley, Axon’s Rick Smith, Motorola Solutions’ Greg Brown and Verkada’s Filip Kaliszan. He said Americans deserve answers about these systems.
Privacy concerns
All four companies manufacture artificial intelligence-powered automatic license plate recognition cameras. Hawley is conducting an investigation over concerns about the collection and storage of citizens’ data. Some jurisdictions have abandoned such systems following reports of improper data use.
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The senator previously referred to an audit at the St. Charles County Police Department. After the audit found that an officer had used the company’s database for personal purposes, the department terminated its contract with Flock. According to DeFlock, a group opposed to surveillance systems, more than 170 contracts with Flock have been canceled.
Verkada’s response and politicians’ positions
A Verkada representative said Kaliszan would be unable to attend the hearing. The company said it is in contact with the subcommittee and is providing information to prepare for the session. Verkada also stressed that its customers do not have access to the company’s nationwide network, because no such network exists, and can obtain data only from their own systems.
Hawley also mentioned a case in Milwaukee, where prosecutors charged a police officer over the alleged use of Flock’s database to search for the license plates of his girlfriend and her former boyfriend. On September 3, Congressman Thomas Massie introduced the Flock-Off Act in the House of Representatives, which would prohibit the use of federal funding for license plate recognition cameras and biometric surveillance cameras. President Donald Trump expressed support for Flock cameras, citing their importance for law enforcement.
