New study finds that Flock Safety is instrumental in solving 10% of reported crime in the U.S.

Flock Safety, the all-in-one technology solution that keeps communities safe, announced the results of a study that shows how Flock Safety technology is instrumental in solving 10% of reported crimes in the U.S. This large-scale study was intended to provide more data on the efficacy of Flock Safety technology, specifically its Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras, and their impact on crime clearance and reduction.

The research was conducted with oversight and validated by independent criminology research experts at Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Tyler. 

Stage of the research process

“As Flock Safety products have become more ubiquitous in the world of law enforcement, questions of effectiveness and usage are concerns of the public. To address these issues, it is important for independent research conducted by research universities to examine their usage and social impact,” said Johnny Nhan, Ph.D., Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at Texas Christian University.

“Not only is Flock Safety actively supporting independent inquiry but has also been fully transparent and accessible during every stage of the research process. As a researcher who is scrutinising this technology and its real-world usage, I have been impressed by the company’s academic approach that fully supports the peer-review process,” said Professor Nhan.

Diverse law enforcement agencies

Researchers performed a meticulous analysis of crime clearance data from a sample of 123 diverse law

From April to June 2023, researchers performed a meticulous analysis of crime clearance data from a sample of 123 diverse law enforcement agencies, representing various sizes and demographics. This analysis aimed to isolate the impact of both technology-centric and jurisdiction-centric factors on crime clearance rates.

Key Findings: More Devices, More Access, and More Collaboration Equates to More Effective Crime Solving

• More Flock devices lead to higher clearance rates: The study found that the typical agency that acquires an additional 1 Flock LPR per sworn officer may expect a 9.1% increase in clearance rate.
• Broad access to Flock technology within agencies leads to more crimes solved: Agencies that provide Flock access and training to a diverse range of officers, from patrol to dispatch to criminal investigations, see a correlation to more success solving crime with the technology.
• Network effects significantly impact clearance rates: Network effects, both locally and on a national scale, should agencies choose to take advantage of them, are correlated with a significant impact on outcomes. The study found that 20 additional Flock customers within 50 kilometres of the original agency leads to a 1% increase in clearance rates.
• Flock technology helps agencies overcome challenging environments: Agencies with fewer sworn officers and larger population areas achieve higher clearance rates when using LPR, showcasing its effectiveness in addressing resource challenges, especially in the face of current hiring and retention difficulties.

Rapid agency partner

National impact: one in 10 reported crimes are now solved with Flock - This achievement highlights the crucial role of LPR technology in enhancing law enforcement outcomes. "When I founded this company, we hoped to make an impact on families, communities, and the officers that serve us every day, and two years ago, we set a lofty goal of helping communities solve 25% of reported crime in the US by the end of 2025,” said Garrett Langley, Founder and CEO of Flock Safety.

“With this milestone, our principled product development, rapid agency partner growth, and unrelenting commitment to our mission, I have no doubt that we are in a position to one day, have an impact on 100% of this country’s reported crime.” Further research on LPR outcomes is presently underway as part of a joint project by Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Tyler.