Forward Deployment Engineer

Berkeley defers extending contract for surveillance cameras. Published March 25, 2026 at 1:58 PM PDT Early this morning/Wednesday morning, the Berkeley City Council deferred voting on expanding its contract with Flock Safety. Flock Safety provides surveillance infrastructure to cities, like security cameras, drones, and investigative software. The city's contract with Flock Safety is set to expire this July. The Berkeley Police Department requested a proposal for a two-year, two-million dollar renewal which seeks to install 16 more cameras in the city, as well as acquire three drones. Privacy watchdogs have raised concerns about federal agencies being able to access the camera data - a potential violation of state law - and using it for targeted surveillance of immigrants and other vulnerable groups. Over the last few months, many Bay Area cities and counties have been re-examining their contracts with Flock Safety, in light of the company's record of sharing data with federal agencies, like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In the last three months, the city councils of Santa Cruz, Mountain View, and Los Altos Hills terminated their respective contracts with Flock Safety., The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors also voted to adopt a new surveillance use policy that prohibits the county Sheriff's Office from contracting with Flock Safety as a vendor for the cameras. However, in December, the Oakland City Council voted to approve their Police Department's proposal to expand its Flock surveillance network. And, last week, the Richmond City Council also extended its contract with Flock Safety after a close 4-3 vote for similar reasons as in Oakland. Berkeley City Council will make a final decision on the status of the cameras at a special meeting, set for June 2nd.

Dunwoody City Council to vote on Flock 911 contract at March 23 meeting. * by DYANA BAGBY * mar 23, 2026. DUNWOODY, Ga. - The Dunwoody City Council is slated to vote March 23 on a contract with Flock Safety to use its 911 technology. The vote comes after the council delayed approval of the contract because of questions about privacy and transparency of the data collected by Flock's AI-driven technology. The council requested its information technology department look over what the Flock 911 system can do and analyze how its data is collected and secured. The meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall. To view the entire agenda, click here. The meeting can be streamed live by clicking here. Dunwoody is one of dozens of cities across the country reassessing their relationships with Flock. In recent months, residents have sounded alarms about the security of data collected by Flock's license plate readers stationed across Dunwoody. Recent changes to Flock's terms and conditions two weeks ago on ownership of data also raised flags for the council. Police Chief Mike Carlson has said that the use of Flock license plate readers and drones is crucial in fighting crime. The Flock 911 system also "has significantly reduced the response time between receipt of calls for service and officer arrival on scene," Carlson said in a memo to the mayor and council. Other items on the agenda include: * Approving a one-year, $109,000 contract with Claratel for a licensed behavioral health clinician for the Dunwoody and Doraville Police Departments. * Authorizing spending $246,000 to purchase ballistic windshields for the Dunwoody Police Department patrol vehicles. The windshields are designed to stop gunfire and other projectiles. Appreciate the work? Help us keep this reporting available to all by joining the Appen Press Club. Your support makes all the difference. Staff Reporter Your questions, answered. All of us here at Appen Media want to know, and try to help answer, the questions you have about our community. Tuesday, March 24, 2026

South Bend Police partner with Flock Safety to launch no-cost drone pilot program. South Bend Police Department launches drone First Responder program. The South Bend Police Department in Indiana has initiated a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program through a one-year partnership with Flock Safety. This program is being implemented at no cost to the department during the pilot phase. The operation is managed by eight FAA-certified operators located in the department's Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). The drones utilized in this program are equipped with advanced features including zoom optics, thermal imaging, and night vision capabilities. They can reach speeds exceeding 50 mph and have a flight duration of approximately 40 minutes. If the South Bend Police Department opts to continue the program after the pilot year, the estimated annual cost would be around $300,000. Functionality of the DFR program. The DFR program in South Bend follows a model that has been successfully adopted in various locations across the United States. Upon receiving a priority call, a drone is launched from a designated location to provide aerial surveillance before any patrol units arrive on the scene. This allows for live video feeds to be transmitted to operators in the RTCC, enhancing situational awareness for various incidents, including vehicle crashes and fires. The drones are particularly useful in low-visibility conditions, utilizing thermal imaging to assist ground units. While video footage is recorded, audio is not captured. Mar 21, 2026 Eight trained operators oversee the program from the RTCC, aligning South Bend's staffing model with similar initiatives in other regions. For instance, Fairfax County, Virginia, has reported that its drone program reached 71 of its first 100 scenes before any officer arrived, achieving an average response time of 83 seconds. Although South Bend's program is still in its early stages, it employs a comparable operational framework. Flock Safety's approach in Indiana. Flock Safety has implemented a strategy of offering free pilot agreements to secure DFR contracts with various law enforcement agencies. In Greenville, Mississippi, for example, the company has integrated drones into a broader Safe City platform, which includes license plate readers and high-definition cameras, all managed from a single interface. This model illustrates how an initial drone contract can evolve into a comprehensive public safety partnership with a single vendor. South Bend's decision-makers will assess the potential for a long-term commitment at the conclusion of the pilot year. The $300,000 annual cost will be a critical factor in their evaluation. For context, Warren, Michigan, has framed its own DFR cost analysis by comparing it to the expense of a fire truck, which exceeds $1 million. A drone that reduces the frequency of fire truck deployments can significantly alter the financial justification for the investment. Mar 21, 2026 Officials in South Bend have acknowledged that weather conditions have posed challenges during the initial operations of the DFR program. The region's winters are characterized by wind, precipitation, and temperature fluctuations, which can ground or limit drone operations. This operational ceiling presents a significant constraint for any DFR program in the Midwest. Similar weather-related challenges have been noted in Warren, Michigan, where lake-effect snow and high winds can impact drone performance. The no-cost structure of the pilot program mitigates financial risks for the department during this evaluation period. If the data collected during favorable weather conditions demonstrates significant improvements in response times and incident resolution, it may strengthen the case for funding the $300,000 annual contract. Growing adoption of DFR programs. South Bend is among a growing number of cities that have initiated DFR programs through free pilot agreements and are now considering long-term commitments. Kansas City, for instance, has established eight drone nests throughout the city, aiming for a 20% reduction in calls requiring physical officer responses. Free pilot programs help alleviate political resistance to spending public funds on untested technology. By the conclusion of the pilot, departments typically have concrete evidence of effectiveness and trained personnel ready to operate the drones. Skydio's DFR Command platform recorded 10 million calls for service by early 2026, indicating a rapid national adoption of drone technology in public safety. South Bend's program is not among the earliest adopters but is part of a mid-wave of departments benefiting from existing operational data. Conclusion. The South Bend DFR program is notable for its straightforward implementation. The department accepted Flock Safety's offer for a free year, established an operator team within the RTCC, and commenced operations without the fanfare often associated with new technology rollouts. Weather conditions will be a crucial factor to monitor as the program progresses. South Bend experiences significant winter weather, which can hinder drone operations. While thermal imaging can assist in low-visibility situations, it is ineffective if drones cannot be deployed due to adverse weather. The $300,000 annual cost will ultimately determine the program's future. The no-cost pilot phase allows the department to gather data to justify continued investment. Historically, departments that invest in training and staffing for drone operations tend to maintain their programs once the pilot concludes. It is anticipated that South Bend will decide on a full contract with Flock Safety before the end of 2026, as the investment in operator training and infrastructure makes discontinuation a costly option.