Flock Security markets its nationwide network of private cameras and license plate scanners as a vital tool for public safety and combating serious crime. However, an investigation reveals police are leveraging this surveillance technology for trivial offenses, including curfew violations, loitering, and issues related to homelessness. Records from Plano, Illinois, show over 1,200 searches for “Curfew/Loitering/Vagrancy Violations” by law enforcement agencies, a fraction of such nationwide usage. These searches demonstrate a mission creep where sophisticated surveillance systems, sold on the promise of dramatic crime prevention, are instead used for “nickel and diming” minor infractions and potentially contributing to over-policing. Critics argue that privacy safeguards are minimal, relying on self-enforcement by a company incentivized by widespread use and self-oversight by police departments.