Flock Safety, the AI-powered license plate reader company, is reportedly preparing to lay off 18 percent of its workforce, or roughly 270 employees, according to sources cited by Reuters. The cuts are expected to take effect at the end of October. The company currently employs about 1,500 people.
The layoffs follow a recent employee buyout program with generous severance packages, which Flock began as discontent grew inside the company. It is unclear how many of the upcoming layoffs are voluntary. The moves come as Flock faces mounting opposition from both sides of the political spectrum, with critics calling the cameras a step toward mass surveillance.
Public backlash has translated into concrete losses. Florida banned the cameras on state highways, Texas cut off state funding, Pennsylvania's governor said he would welcome legislation banning them, and Los Angeles police declined to renew their contract. Prominent commentators and viral vigilantes have also turned public sentiment against the company, leaving morale at what one report described as an all-time low.