Flock Safety has initiated a voluntary layoff program that includes severance pay. According to WIRED, this decision comes in response to criticism regarding their license plate recognition systems and the loss of several clients.
The application period for this program started on September 18 and will run until October 2, as stated in an internal company memo. The company anticipates approving the majority of the requests.
The severance package has been described as the "most generous" in Flock Safety's history. Reports indicate that some employees have received offers amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, several months of health insurance, and the option to sell company shares within two years after their departure.
Journalists have linked this program to increasing criticism of the company’s network of license plate reading cameras and the termination of several significant contracts. Launched in 2017, the project has faced backlash from American citizens due to privacy concerns and potential police abuse.
Numerous cities are ending their partnerships with Flock, and acts of vandalism against the cameras have raised internal costs. A human rights group in the Bay Area identified 93 city and county authorities that terminated their contracts with the company in August.
Sources suggest that some employees may accept the layoff offer amid discussions about a potential sale of part or all of the business. It is worth noting that at the end of summer, Flock Safety's CEO Garrett Langley called for a "compromise" between privacy and security.