The $4B Tech Startup Solving Crime with AI

Garrett Langley is the CEO of Flock Safety, a $4B company helping solve 10% of US crimes with AI-powered tech. Garrett offers an in-depth look into Flock Safety’s ambitious vision to eliminate crime in America and all the operating lessons he’s learned along the way, including how to build a strong and motivated team, keep people accountable, and leverage PR for rapid growth.
(00:00) Intro
(01:03) The Mission to Eliminate Crime with Innovative Tech
(01:54) The Genesis of Flock Safety: A Response to High Crime Rates
(07:48) The Evolution of Flock Safety's Crime-Fighting Technology
(24:37) Impact Stories: How Flock Safety is Changing Lives
(31:00) Navigating the Balance: Safety, Privacy, and Community Impact
(36:58) Exploring the Universal Appeal of Safety Across America
(37:38) The Role of Community Decisions in Public Safety
(39:02) Addressing Misinformation and Enhancing Safety with Technology
(39:58) Collaboration and Data Sharing Among Cities
(41:26) The Impact of Technology on Policing and Public Safety
(43:24) Innovative Solutions to Modern Policing Challenges
(49:18) Flock's Vision for the Future of Public Safety
(56:05) Building a Business on Solving Crime
(56:38) The Importance of Team and Culture in Business Success
(01:10:45) Navigating Growth and Maintaining Culture in a Scaling Company
(01:12:33) Cultivating a Strong Remote Work Culture
(01:12:46) The Power of Cultural Norms in Business
(01:13:01) Building Accountability and Responsiveness
(01:14:16) The Importance of In-Person Interactions in a Hybrid Company
(01:14:50) Assessing Substantive Work Over Managing Up
(01:17:50) The Strategy of Being a Macro Optimist and Micro Pessimist
(01:20:16) Celebrating Milestones and Focusing on Impact
(01:21:58) The Unique Dynamic of Working with Family
(01:30:42) Reflections on Early Success and the Drive to Build Meaningful Companies
(01:37:58) Overcoming Fundraising Challenges and Understanding Market Dynamics
(01:46:55) Concluding Thoughts and the Future of Flock Safety
Produced: Rashad Assir & Leah Clapper
Mixed and edited: Justin Hrabovsky
Executive Producer: Josh Machiz
Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: / @redpointai
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About the Show
Logan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode, Logan goes behind the scenes with world-class entrepreneurs and investors. If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Friday for new episodes.

[@NathanDavis821]

Garrett representing for GT/Atlanta!! Love seeing you on the pods these days!

[@gb-jg1ud]

12:00 He got lucky in the timing we tried in 2013 and had tremendous blockers and issues. I have a copy of his YC slide deck...it was not one slide but was concentrated on HOA's for the entire market with the long term plan of going after the more lucrative law enforcement market afterwards. He is a good story teller...but there was no mug shot...the added sell slide was a picture of stolen bike that was retrieved from a cell phone in a mailbox ...with "does it work. You bet? The stolen bike was the pride of flock and their first case for the first two years but that has been removed from the marketing and the internet

[@funnellsites1557]

These long winded questions are killing me Just ask the darn question instead of trying to sound super intelligent...smh

[@loganbartlett4307]

thank you for the advice funnellsites1557

[@antoniopinckney]

This is interesting but it seems to be only focused on physical crime. How will we address fraud, cybercrime and other types of non-physical crime?

[@alexi2460]

The elephant in the room is mental health issues and the variables with pathological thinking of individuals or groups. Sadly law enforcement personnel in California for example just don't have innovative straegies and the governor throws money at issues when the momentum of crime is out of control. Cops need help naionally.

[@gb-jg1ud]

This is one of the most dangerous companies in existence because with nearly 100,000 cameras networked together without regulation ....

[@YouuRayy]

Precrime

[@oldtools6089]

I think that guy had too much free time wringing his idle hands trying to justify why his hometown should have kids preoccupied with jobs instead of, you know, doing kid stuff.

[@s1n27]

So basically you guys are going to make sure that everyone is wealthy enough to not need to commit crimes. Other than that there will be crime no matter how hard you make it

[@darrenbates997]

You need to use facial recognition too. Help retailers see shoplifters with a history shoplifting in their stores. You are limiting yourself too much by being afraid of pushback.

[@robertdiggler6341]

How to do it for a little time and effort. Raise your kids to be better and have morals.

[@Ricocase]

Wait until he realizes that criminals work within the police force. Criminals will alter and switch cars and plates. See red light cameras.

[@therealjayz8036]

You can’t eliminate crime, because it’s human nature.

[@Dan-dy8zp]

They aren't really trying to. They are trying to eliminate getting away with it.

[@funnellsites1557]

You sure as hell can slow it down though

[@therealjayz8036]

⁠@@Dan-dy8zp if that’s the ultimate objective then let’s just get rid of the 4th and 14th amendment and turn the country into a police state

[@AgentBitcoin]

great idea for anyone who doesn't understand trade-offs and hidden externalities. this is not a good company, and should not be celebrated here.

[@jarlaxle6591]

Your one step away from Minority Report.

[@taytus]

This guy is a bullshitter.

[@alexanderbrown-dg3sy]

Being in the space. I’m sure he has the best intentions. However, racial bias is a A HUGE. Model’s inherit biases period really. So, I’m not with this. The algorithm will simply say…the black guy did it 😂. I would love to see false positive data.

[@motherofedith]

The models don’t detect people - only cars and license plates

[@alexanderbrown-dg3sy]

@@motherofedith o ok. Thanks for the clarification. Completely remove biases. I dig that.

[@trontrontrontron4]

if a certain demographic stops stealing and showing up as the culprit every time theft/crime is involved, that bias will go away.

[@motherofedith]

@@trontrontrontron4 🛑✋🏼🤨

[@fxlltxtsearch]

@@alexanderbrown-dg3syyou have to have to have to watch the video before commenting, he covered this in the first 15 min