Flock and the Future of AI-Powered Surveillance 7.10.2026

In Cuyahoga County, more than 1,700 license plate cameras, or Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), take photos of and store license plate data. Proponents have hailed it as the next generation of safety technology, and support installation as part of the effort to crack down on crime, bring justice to victims, and promote public safety. Opponents cite concerns about privacy, data security, and abuse of data—including the turnover of information to federal officials. AI-powered surveillance, including acoustic surveillance technology like "Shotspotter" has been around for decades. Yet, this next generation of AI technology has been met with skepticism and concern. Combined with growing political tensions, the conversation in many American communities has changed: It's not whether the technology works. Rather, whether the technology should even be allowed in its current state, or even at all. Nearly every state in the nation has some form of AI-powered surveillance, and grassroots groups and national organizations are putting pressure on municipalities across the country to cancel contracts that employ it—including here in Northeast Ohio. Join us at the City Club as Signal Cleveland's Nick Castele leads a conversation on the evolution, ethics, and future of AI-powered surveillance across the nation with Joshua Thomas, Chief Communications Officer of Flock Safety, and Dr. Jen Golbeck, Computer Scientist, AI ethics and privacy expert at the University of Maryland. Panelists Dr. Jen Golbeck Professor, College of Information, University of Maryland Joshua Thomas Chief Communications Officer, Flock Safety Moderator Nick Castele Government Reporter, Signal Cleveland The David Ralph Hertz Memorial Forum on Civil Liberties