Forrester analysts used a Business Insider investigation into Flock Safety's automated licence plate readers to argue that buyers cannot rely on vendor accuracy claims. The reporting found that 71% of alerts sent to Roseville, California police over two years misidentified plates, flagging vehicles as stolen or linked to a felony, against Flock's stated 96% accuracy in ideal conditions. Roseville had a rule requiring officers to check alerts, but staff worked around it. Forrester recommends testing supplier AI on local data and making error reporting contractual.
What changed
Roseville police relied on the vendor's stated accuracy figure and an unenforced policy requiring officers to verify each alert.
What it unlocks
A concrete reference point for insisting that vendor accuracy claims be re-tested on an organization's own data before wider rollout.
- 71% of alerts misread over two years
- 96% accuracy claimed under optimal conditions
- $2.5 million Earnest Operations settlement
- forrester.com2026-08-05