Surveillance technology company Flock Safety has reportedly offered voluntary buyouts to employees as it looks to reduce its workforce amid growing backlash over its license plate recognition technology.
According to a report by Wired, the company has offered severance packages to employees who voluntarily leave. Flock, which has around 1,500 employees, reportedly expects a significant number of workers to express interest and plans to approve buyouts for most of those who do.
The company’s internal communication described the packages as its most generous to date. The voluntary departures could help Flock reduce its workforce without immediately resorting to broader layoffs.
The reported workforce reduction comes as the company faces increasing scrutiny over its surveillance technology. In August, The Washington Post reported 46 cases involving alleged misuse of Flock technology by police officers, including cases involving alleged surveillance of spouses and former partners.
Florida and Texas have also moved to stop using the company’s technology, while an anti-surveillance group reported that 90 cities ended contracts with Flock in August.
The backlash has also affected employee morale, with the company’s leadership previously acknowledging internal morale as one of the areas most affected by the controversy.
Flock Safety had not publicly disclosed the scale of potential workforce reductions at the time of the report.
