The Crime Crisis In America and How Technology Fixes It
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this powerful conversation, Garrett Langley (founder and CEO of Flock Safety) and Ben Horowitz (cofounder of a16z) outline a comprehensive national strategy to eliminate crime rather than just manage it. (02:22) The discussion reveals how Las Vegas has become a real-world laboratory for intelligent policing, using technology like license plate readers, drones, and real-time crime centers to achieve over 90% murder clearance rates while reducing police use of force by 75%. (24:49) The conversation examines three critical pillars for crime reduction: people (addressing the police staffing crisis), products (implementing AI-driven technology), and policy (ensuring accountability and prosecution). (02:58) They also tackle complex issues around privacy concerns, the collapse of clearance rates nationwide, and how public-private partnerships are filling gaps that cash-strapped cities cannot address alone.
• Main Theme: Moving from reactive crime management to proactive crime elimination through intelligence, technology, and community partnershipsSpeakers
Garrett Langley
Founder and CEO of Flock Safety, a company that provides intelligent policing infrastructure including license plate readers, gunshot detection, and real-time crime centers. His technology now works with over 5,000 communities to detect crime, recover missing children, and close cases faster than traditional methods. Langley has become a leading voice in the intersection of technology and public safety.
Ben Horowitz
Cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of Silicon Valley's most prominent venture capital firms. Beyond his investment work, Horowitz has been deeply involved in Las Vegas's crime reduction efforts, working closely with the police department to implement new technologies and strategies. He has contributed over $30 million annually to police foundations and has been instrumental in testing public-private partnerships for law enforcement.
Key Takeaways
Create a "Teach for America" Program for Law Enforcement
Langley proposes addressing the massive police staffing crisis by offering student debt forgiveness for college graduates who serve 2-4 years in law enforcement roles. (02:58) This isn't just about patrol officers - there are numerous civilian roles in police departments like crime analysts that don't require carrying weapons. The staffing shortage has forced many departments to lower hiring standards, sometimes even hiring criminals who later commit violent crimes while on duty. This innovative approach could simultaneously solve the student debt crisis and the police staffing shortage while raising the professional caliber of law enforcement.
Intelligence Makes Everyone Safer Than Harsh Punishment
As Horowitz explains, there are essentially three approaches to crime prevention: accepting high crime rates, implementing harsh Singaporean-style punishment, or using intelligence. (10:14) Intelligence-based policing protects suspects, officers, and civilians by providing accurate information rather than relying on subjective hunches. When Las Vegas implemented comprehensive camera and drone systems, police shootings of suspects dropped 75% because officers had better situational awareness and didn't need to operate in unknown, dangerous situations. (24:49) This approach follows the Chinese principle that "certain punishment means no punishment" - when criminals know they'll definitely get caught, deterrence becomes far more effective than severe consequences.
Focus on Precision Over Mass Surveillance
Modern crime-fighting technology enables surgical precision rather than broad dragnet approaches. Langley describes a recent case where a mentally unwell individual committed a drive-by shooting. (54:57) Instead of deploying SWAT teams that would likely result in casualties, police used drones to identify the suspect by a distinctive tattoo from half a mile away, then sent two plainclothes officers for a safe apprehension. No one was harmed, and the public never knew anything happened. This precision approach protects everyone involved while maintaining public safety and community trust.
Public-Private Partnerships Can Transform Underfunded Police Departments
Cities face severe budget constraints that prevent them from investing in modern technology, but private partnerships can bridge this gap effectively. (27:09) Ben Horowitz's investments in Las Vegas police technology represent less than 1% of the police budget but completely transformed the department's capabilities. Companies like Lowe's invest in local police departments because their employees live in those communities. In San Francisco, 100% of recent police innovations have been privately funded, though companies prefer to stay quiet about it to avoid criticism. (30:38) These partnerships typically cover the first 1-2 years of technology costs, after which cities can incorporate them into their budgets.
Address Root Causes Without Abandoning Law Enforcement
The speakers emphasize that social services and law enforcement aren't mutually exclusive - both are necessary for a functioning society. (16:06) When crime pays better than legitimate work and carries no social stigma, it becomes a rational career choice for many young people. As Horowitz notes, removing law enforcement incentivizes crime and prevents the creation of legitimate career paths for at-risk individuals. (13:52) The goal should be making crime detection so certain that it changes cultural incentives, while simultaneously providing alternative paths to success through education, job training, and economic opportunity.
Statistics & Facts
- Las Vegas has achieved over 90% murder clearance rates, the highest in the country, compared to the national average of 47%. (19:21) This means that outside of Vegas, you have a 53% chance of getting away with murder - essentially a coin flip.
- Police shootings of suspects in Las Vegas dropped 75% after implementing cameras and drone technology. (24:49) This dramatic reduction occurred because officers had better situational awareness and weren't operating in unknown, dangerous situations.
- Flock Safety helped facilitate approximately one million arrests this year, all with AI-verified matches to ensure the correct suspects were apprehended. (31:56) They also helped return over 450 missing children in the same period. (57:30)
