Harvey, Illinois adding Flock Safety drones amid growing concerns over surveillance technology and police misuse of data

August 14, 2026 - 10:58

The south suburb of Harvey is moving forward with a new fleet of Flock Safety drones, adding another layer of surveillance to a city that already uses the company's license plate readers. The decision comes at a time when several other municipalities have cut ties with Flock over concerns about how the data is stored, shared, and used by law enforcement.

Harvey officials say the drones will help with emergency response, missing person searches, and monitoring large public events. They describe the technology as a tool for faster and safer policing. The drones are equipped with cameras and can be deployed remotely, feeding live video back to officers on the ground.

But the move has drawn criticism from civil liberties groups who point to a growing list of incidents where police departments have misused surveillance tools. In recent years, Flock has faced lawsuits and public scrutiny over access to its footage by outside agencies and the retention of data on innocent drivers. Some cities have ended their contracts after finding that officers used the systems to track people without a warrant or for reasons unrelated to crime.

Harvey residents have mixed feelings. Some say they welcome anything that might reduce crime in the area. Others worry about being watched constantly, especially in a community that has historically been over-policed. The city has not released details on how long the drone footage will be kept or who will have access to it.

Flock Safety continues to expand across the Chicago area, but the debate over its role in public safety is far from settled. Harvey's new drone program is set to launch within the next few months.