Amazon Ring Cameras Deepen Police Ties with Flock Safety, Axon Deals

Amazon’s Ring is expanding its reach into law enforcement through a new partnership with Flock Safety. The agreement will allow Ring camera owners to voluntarily share footage with law enforcement agencies using Flock’s software, potentially aiding in criminal investigations and bolstering public safety initiatives.

This move marks the second significant foray into the law enforcement sector for Ring. The company recently unveiled a similar initiative with Axon Enterprise, highlighting a strategic pivot towards integrating its surveillance technology with public safety infrastructure.

Flock Safety, which positions itself as a direct competitor to Axon, currently collaborates with approximately 6,000 communities and 5,000 law enforcement agencies. CEO and founder Garrett Langley believes there’s substantial untapped potential within the public safety market, citing the estimated 17,000 cities across the United States as a significant growth opportunity.

Flock Safety previously secured the No. 7 spot on the 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, underscoring its innovative approach to public safety technology.

The integration leverages Ring’s “Community Requests” feature, enabling law enforcement to directly solicit video evidence from Ring camera users via the FlockOS and Flock Nova platforms. Participation remains entirely voluntary, with citizens retaining control over whether to share their footage. Requests are disseminated through the Ring Neighbors feed, targeting camera users within a specified area relevant to the investigation. Shared video is securely stored and earmarked exclusively for the designated criminal investigation.

“We’re facing a clear and present crime problem in America,” stated Langley. “We’re focused on empowering businesses and cities with technology, and Ring is a clear leader in home security. This partnership will enable safer communities, all while upholding individual choice, and it was Ring that initiated discussions about this potential collaboration.”

The law enforcement technology market, particularly surveillance cameras, has sparked considerable controversy regarding privacy, potential for racial profiling, and the robustness of security protocols. This isn’t Ring’s first attempt at broad video footage distribution. A prior iteration, “Ring Request for Assistance,” was discontinued in 2024, following scrutiny regarding its implementation. Previous collaborations even saw Ring working directly with police to distribute cameras within targeted communities.

Langley emphasized a crucial distinction between the previous “RFA” and the new “Community Requests” system: “The previous ‘RFA’ was integrated directly within the Ring app, lacking a clear chain of custody. Under this new system, the request goes out via the Ring app, but any shared footage is securely transferred to the Flock platform, which is what we do every day for businesses and municipalities,” he explained. Flock currently holds contracts with an estimated 1,000 private sector organizations for its technology.

While Ring refrains from disclosing precise sales figures, it’s understood that there are tens of thousands of cameras in communities across the US. Langley underscored the value to law enforcement of leveraging this network of devices in their investigations given the broad coverage of households.

Langley positioned the initiative as an enhancement for both law enforcement and the public compared to current crime-solving methods. “This is about empowering law enforcement by offering improved efficiency and accelerating investigations,” he stated. He also addressed concerns about door-to-door requests, stating that a neighborhood shooting could pressure people to share their footage, this new option will allow people to be in control.

“This environment offers complete citizen control. Participation remains entirely optional. Law enforcement gains a more efficient means of investigation, while citizens retain the right to decline participation without pressure,” Langley added.

Financially, the collaboration is structured to be free of charge for all Flock Safety’s law enforcement customers. “This partnership demonstrates our commitment to community safety and we believe it will drive adoption of our core products. We will offer this feature for free,” Langley stated. Currently, Flock Safety supports law enforcement activities, contributing to approximately one million arrests per year. Langley aims to increase that number, due to this new partnership.

Flock Safety has slated said soon for the launch of integration with the Ring platform.

The partnership is anticipated to draw significant scrutiny. It also must contend with mixed attitudes toward safety technologies. Concerns have risen over potential privacy breaches and misuse, as demonstrated by the FTC and even contract cancelations amid public debate, there are other signs that the surveillance technology business is flourishing.

Langley pointed out that for some critics, notably privacy-focused organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which have been long-standing critics of similar technologies, a compromise wasn’t possible. To them, he said that “there is a certain part of the country that just doesn’t prioritize safety, and like Ring and Flock, do, and it is believed that everyone has a right to be safe and people should be held accountable if they commit a crime.”

According to Langley, critics who oppose any use of surveillance technology in law enforcement would like nothing more than for businesses like Flock to “shut down.” He went on to say, “They live in hypotheticals and I live in realities, and we have to do something about it.”

Public sentiment regarding crime levels is fluctuating, especially now that leading CEOs and political figures are weighing in on stationing federal troops in targeted areas.

A recent poll revealed that two-thirds of the public view crime in the United States as a major concern. This concern is higher in the cities with 81% compared to Republicans at 96%. A prior poll revealed more Americans are prioritizating more on crime more than when the current President took office. This sentiment applied across both parties.

Langley believes that political trends currently favor Flock Safety and its mission of amplifying technology in law enforcement. “If you look at recent political tides, we tried the social experiment of being soft on crime and that did not end well.” he concluded.