Flock And Other Tech Firms Decline Senate Testimony On Mass Surveillance

LAPD approved a $235M, 10-year contract with Axon for surveillance tech, pending City Council approval. The deal includes body cameras, ALPR, Tasers, and AI tools. A separate 3-month ALPR pilot was also approved. Key details on data retention and sharing remain undisclosed.

Brad Gerstner's Altimeter Capital exited its Alphabet (GOOGL) position in Q1 2026, investing $260M in Arm Holdings (ARM) and $63.3M in Axon Enterprise (AXON). ARM reported 23% revenue growth, while Axon saw 34% growth and raised guidance. Both stocks have since faced volatility.

Motorola Solutions CEO Greg Brown discussed the company's transformation in a long-form interview. He highlighted the necessity of splitting from the mobile phone business to avoid bankruptcy, focusing on public safety and defense technology. Brown mentioned over 60 acquisitions, including Silvus Technologies for up to $5B, and plans to acquire a counter-drone company.

Flock Safety, Axon Enterprise, and Motorola Solutions CEOs declined to testify before a Senate subcommittee investigating their camera technology over mass surveillance concerns. The hearing featured civil liberties experts and a wrongfully accused individual. The subcommittee expressed bipartisan concerns about privacy and potential Fourth Amendment violations. Axon has a $235M contract with LAPD for license plate readers.

The LAPD Board of Police Commissioners approved a 10-year, $235M contract with Axon Enterprise for updated equipment, including patrol car cameras with license plate reader capabilities and AI-assisted report writing. The board also approved a 3-month pilot program with Axon for street light surveillance cameras. The LAPD previously chose not to renew a contract with Flock cameras over privacy concerns.

Motorola Solutions (MSI) secured a $139M, 10-year contract with Louisiana for public safety tech, including mobile video and software. Analysts expect 8.2% revenue growth and 19.8% margins by 2029. The deal aligns with MSI's focus on long-term public safety contracts but doesn't alter near-term outlook.