Garrett Langley

CEO of Flock Safety and advocate for technology-driven solutions in public safety.

Mentions

Appeared in

Discussed in

Key positions and views

Technology is the primary solution to crime and police understaffing, with tools like LPRs, drones, and AI being capable of dramatically increasing clearance rates and departmental efficiency.

Public-private partnerships are essential for modernizing law enforcement, and private funding from corporations and foundations is a key enabler of technological innovation in police departments.

Privacy concerns about surveillance technology are often misplaced and rooted in a pre-existing lack of trust in police; he argues his technology is objective because it focuses on vehicles, not individuals.

The future of law enforcement is 'AI-native,' where artificial intelligence will automate intermediate investigative processes, such as analyzing 911 calls in real-time, to make policing faster and more effective.

Breaking down data silos between jurisdictions through regional data-sharing initiatives is critical for solving crime that crosses municipal boundaries.

Podcast consensus on Langley

Points of consensus

▶Both sources emphasize the significant scale of Flock Safety's impact, with Langley repeatedly claiming the technology was involved in solving approximately one million crimes or contributing to one million arrests in the last year, representing about 20% of all U.S. crimes.Apr 2026

▶Across both appearances, Langley highlights the critical role of private funding and public-private partnerships in modernizing law enforcement, citing examples like the Atlanta Police Foundation's contributions and the 100% private funding of new technology in San Francisco.Apr 2026

▶Langley consistently discusses severe understaffing in police departments, such as those in San Francisco, Atlanta, and at Georgia Tech, positioning technology as a necessary force multiplier to address these personnel shortages.Apr 2026

▶In both discussions, Langley details the use of advanced surveillance technology, including drones and AI-powered video analysis, by police departments in cities like San Francisco and Las Vegas to create real-time crime centers.Apr 2026

Points of debate

▶Langley presents his technology as a tool for objective, vehicle-based tracking to avoid bias, yet he also describes features that cross-reference license plates with personal arrest records to identify details like tattoos, creating a tension between impersonal data collection and individual-specific surveillance.Apr 2026

▶He advocates for creating regional real-time crime centers to enable data sharing between jurisdictions, while simultaneously acknowledging that multiple states have enacted laws specifically preventing law enforcement data from being shared outside the state, highlighting a conflict between his company's goals and existing legal frameworks.Apr 2026

▶Langley downplays privacy concerns by framing his technology as less invasive than commercially available cell phone location data, but also states that it is possible to build a tool that tracks nearly every American in real-time by combining such data, revealing a potential for far greater surveillance capabilities than he typically emphasizes.

▶While championing technology as the primary solution to crime, Langley also proposes a non-technological, human-centric solution for police recruitment—a 'Teach for America' style program to forgive student debt in exchange for service—indicating a multifaceted view on solving public safety challenges.Apr 2026

Key themes

▶Technology as a Force Multiplier for Law Enforcement

Langley consistently argues that technology like AI, drones, and license plate readers can solve police understaffing and dramatically increase crime clearance rates. He points to examples in San Francisco, Cobb County, and Las Vegas to demonstrate the effectiveness of these tools in making under-resourced departments more efficient.

This theme positions Flock Safety not just as a vendor but as a fundamental solution to systemic issues in policing, making it an attractive investment for those bullish on the public safety technology sector.

▶The Rise of Public-Private Partnerships in PolicingApr 2026

A core tenet of Langley's narrative is the crucial role of private funding and corporate support for modernizing police departments. He cites examples like Lowe's supporting the Mooresville PD, the Atlanta Police Foundation's contributions, and the claim that 100% of SFPD's recent tech innovations are privately funded.

This highlights a growing trend of privatizing aspects of public safety, creating a market opportunity but also raising questions for analysts concerning accountability and corporate influence over law enforcement priorities.

▶Navigating the Privacy vs. Security DebateApr 2026

Langley acknowledges privacy concerns but strategically reframes them as issues of pre-existing community trust in police, not inherent flaws in the technology. He argues his technology is objective by focusing on vehicles, not people, and is less invasive than commercially available cell phone data, despite its immense surveillance capabilities.

Langley's strategic framing attempts to neutralize privacy objections, suggesting that the market success of surveillance technology depends heavily on public relations and narrative control, not just technical capability.

▶The Future of AI-Driven Policing

Langley predicts the imminent emergence of an 'AI-native' police department and showcases current applications like LLMs analyzing 911 calls in real-time. His stated philosophy is to use AI to automate intermediate investigative steps, keeping humans at the start and end of the process to maintain oversight.

This signals a strategic shift from reactive data collection to proactive, real-time AI analysis, indicating a significant expansion in the scope and ambition of law enforcement technology that could redefine the market.

Source episodes

Sentiment over time

Not enough data for timeline

Changes over time

Last Year

Langley claims Flock's technology was instrumental in solving approximately one million crimes across the U.S., representing a significant portion (20%) of all reported crimes.

Current Year

Langley states that Flock's technology has helped return over 450 missing children and is expected to contribute to approximately one million arrests of correct suspects.

Recent Weeks

Langley cites specific, recent successes to demonstrate ongoing effectiveness, including solving a triple homicide in Utah and a double homicide in Washington.

Present Day

Langley is actively promoting the use of advanced AI, such as the system in San Francisco where an LLM analyzes 911 calls in real-time to expedite suspect identification and arrest.

Next 18 Months

Langley predicts the emergence of the first 'AI-native' police department, signaling a near-future strategic focus for his company and the industry.

Suggested prompts

How does Garrett Langley reconcile his company's goal of regional data sharing with the legal reality of state laws that prohibit out-of-state data sharing? &nearr;What are the ethical implications and potential for error in a system where an LLM analyzes 911 calls and initiates a police response based on that real-time interpretation? &nearr;Given Langley's claim that all of SFPD's recent tech is privately funded, what are the long-term consequences for public oversight and democratic control of policing technology? &nearr;Langley frames privacy concerns as a trust issue, but also claims it's possible to build a tool to track nearly every American. How does this dual messaging impact Flock Safety's market position and regulatory risk? &nearr;

Key concepts

Flock Safety Technology (LPR, Drones, AI) 2 ep Crime Clearance Rates 2 ep Police Staffing & Recruitment 2 ep Data Privacy & Surveillance 2 ep Public-Private Partnerships 2 ep State & Federal Law (Policing) 2 ep Specific City Case Studies (SF, Vegas, Oakland) 2 ep Artificial Intelligence (AI/LLM) 1 ep Data Retention Policies 1 ep

Notable quotes

“we helped apprehend about a million criminals last year. It's about 20% of all US crimes.”

Garrett Langley · AI for Public Good with OpenGov & Flock Safety

“So if you look at all of the latest innovations in San Francisco, 100% private funded.”

Garrett Langley · “How We Can Eliminate Crime” | Ben Horowitz and Garrett Langley

“I do think a police department will get there, and I think it'll be in the next, I'll give it like 18 months.”

Garrett Langley · AI for Public Good with OpenGov & Flock Safety

“So anytime you're calling 911 in San Francisco, we have an LLN that's listening to the phone call.”

Garrett Langley · AI for Public Good with OpenGov & Flock Safety

Report last updated: Apr 21, 2026

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