Rep Tom Cotton in Hearing Talks Flock Images and Tracking Pattern of Life
Flock has admitted that until very recently there were basically no curbs or restrictions on which of these subscribers, so to speak, could search their databases, what they could do with the images, how long the images were kept, or what other uses they were put to. In fact, “customers can search using natural language across this data set, including images that are months and months old. Flock customers are even able to assemble a pattern of life.” That’s a comment from Flock itself, a pattern of life for the millions of vehicles that are caught up in what is becoming a massive dragnet.
Flock Falsely Accusing People as Criminals
You know, the overwhelming majority of drivers or other travelers who are are under surveillance network cameras here have done absolutely nothing wrong, nothing wrong at all. I think that’s what’s so troubling to people as they learn about this Flock pattern of life technology. It sounds as if, based on the reports we’ve heard, it’s treating people, every citizen in America, I mean, by now, surely almost all of us have been scanned and logged as if we are criminals, yet without any due process, without any reasonable suspicion, without any articulable suspicion whatsoever. This just seems very, very strange, to put it mildly. Something I think this committee really needs to hear about.
Surveillance Network Camera Companies Not Showing Up
You’re going to hear in just a moment from someone who has suffered at the hands of this surveillance network, Lindsay Isaacs, who joins us from Palm Coast, Florida. She was falsely accused of being in a car crash, causing one, in fact. She spent 13 days in jail because of a misidentification from one of these surveillance networks. She’s totally innocent. Sadly, who you’re not going to hear from today are the CEOs of Flock. and Axon and Motorola and Verkada. I invited all of them, as Senator Durbin and I did, the whole committee. We sent letters to them and asked them to be here. They’re not, and I think that that’s unfortunate. I think we need to hear from them about what it is their surveillance network cameras do. I think we need to hear from them about their intentions, about their capabilities.
We need to have an honest conversation about where this surveillance network camera “pattern of life” is leading us as a country.
I’ll close with this and let Senator Durbin make his opening remarks. I just want to say this. You know, this is still the United States of America, and it shouldn’t be that when you walk out your door in the morning, you just have to agree and assent and accept the fact that you’re going to be on a surveillance network camera morning, noon, and night. You’ll be tracked by anybody and everybody in the world. You’ll have no privacy whatsoever. You’ll be tracked when you take your kids to school and tracked when you go to church and tracked when you go to the grocery store. My gosh.
That isn’t the free society that we’ve known. That’s not what the Constitution guarantees. We’ve got some work to do, I think, to make sure that the Constitution is real and protected in this area. And I look forward to doing it today, getting a start at least. Senator Durbin.
Lindsay Isaacs Tells Her Story of Surveillance Network Camera Falsely Accused Her
A Flock surveillance network camera captured my vehicle a few miles from the scene of a terrible crash. That piece of false information became part of an investigation that ultimately led to my arrest on three counts of vehicular homicide and 13 days in jail for a crash I had nothing to do with. My name is Lindsay Isaacs. I’d like to share with you what happened to me beginning on October 4th of 2025 and how it forever changed the trajectory of my life.
How the Police Treated Lindsay Isaacs
At approximately 1:04 a.m. on October 5th, an FHP trooper and three deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrived at my parents’ home in Ocala looking for me. They asked where I was and where my vehicle was and told my parents that I had been involved in a fatal crash. My parents immediately drove to my apartment. They arrived at approximately 4:45 a.m. and found additional troopers there already. I woke up frantic. My parents were at my door, multiple troopers were outside, and an in-pound truck was taking my Dodge Durango away right in front of me. I told them that I had not been involved in any crash. The troopers told me that there was damage to my vehicle consistent with the collision. but I could not see the damage they were describing. My Durango was in immaculate condition, yet I stood there watching law enforcement take it away while telling me that my vehicle had been involved in a crash where three people died.
I later learned that a Flock surveillance network automated license plate recognition camera had captured my Dodge Durango approximately two to three miles west of the crash scene. On April 17th, 2026, a warrant was issued for my arrest. I was ordered to surrender myself at the Volusia County Jail by 2:00 PM.
Lindsay Isaacs Solitary Confinement
I could not understand what was happening. I was placed in solitary confinement for approximately three and a half days. Correctional officers told me because I had to stay there because of this severity of my charges and I could not be housed with other inmates until I had been evaluated. The cell door was shut and it was not open for approximately 86 hours.
Lindsay Isaacs Mental Health Unit
I was then moved into a mental health unit for approximately 24 hours before ultimately being transferred to G Block, a maximum security housing unit where I remained for approximately 10 days. I was terrified. I was facing the possibility of spending the rest of my life in prison for a crash that I knew I had not been involved in and was falsely accused by a Flock surveillance network camera.
I did not know if I would ever get out of jail. At my lowest point, I didn’t want to be alive. On April 22nd, 2026, I was denied bond at my pretrial detention hearing.
Lindsay Isaacs Attorney Provides Evidence of Falsely Accused Crash
On April 28th, my attorney Patrick McGinn presented the court with multiple photographs of my Durango sitting in the FHP impound lot without the collision damage investigators had falsely accused was present. This prompted the state to reevaluate my vehicle and the case against me.
The following day, April 29th, I was finally granted bond. After 13 days in jail, I ran into my mother and father’s arms. I could not believe I was free. In May, 2026, the state ultimately declined to prosecute me and filed a no information and information was never filed against me. The investigation instead resulted in charges against another individual.
I came here today because I want you to understand that Flock surveillance network camera technology does not exist in a vacuum. Information collected by technology can become part of a falsely accused investigation that affects a real human being. I’m not here to tell you how to do your jobs. I’m here to tell you what happened to me.
Tom Cotton Goes Over the Evidence with Lindsay Isaacs
Rep Tom Cotton: This Durango doesn’t look red to me. What color is this?
Lindsay Isaacs: This is a black Durango.
Rep Tom Cotton: This is a black Durango. So your car was never there, correct?
Lindsay Isaacs: Correct
Rep Tom Cotton: There are no images of your car at the scene, is that correct?
Lindsay Isaacs: Correct.
Rep Tom Cotton: There was no assertion by anybody ever that you were there, is that correct?
Lindsay Isaacs: Correct
Rep Tom Cotton: It was just that the Flock cameras, based on some description, some general description entered into them, the AI pulled out your car and said, “This is a match.”
Lindsay Isaacs: Correct.
Rep Tom Cotton: That led to 13 days in jail for you, including solitary confinement. You very nearly lost your entire livelihood. Isn’t that right?
Lindsay Isaacs: I was facing life in prison.
Rep Durban: The thing that struck me was whatever the law enforcement agency involved there had tangible evidence in your car that could be viewed. I mean, did you take a look at it later and see the damage that they were referring to?
Lindsay Isaacs: There was no damage on my car at all. That car was a brand new vehicle. I got it with zero miles on it, and when they took the car, it didn’t even have 10,000 miles on it. It was in perfect condition and they still said there was damage consistent with the collision on the vehicle.
Rep Tom Cotton: The Durango that was involved in the vehicular crash that indeed caused three other people to die was a vehicular homicide. That Durango was maroon, red. Is that correct?
Lindsay Isaacs: Correct.
