WASHINGTON — Sen. Josh Hawley has invited the leaders of four major surveillance-technology companies to testify next week as Congress examines the growing use of automated license-plate readers and other camera systems in communities across the country. Formal invitations were sent to Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley, Axon Enterprise CEO Rick Smith, Motorola Solutions CEO Greg Brown and Verkada CEO Filip Kaliszan, according to Hawley’s spokesperson. The executives were asked to appear before the Senate Crime and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, which Hawley chairs. It was not immediately clear whether all four executives would attend. Virginia Ramsey, a Verkada spokesperson, said Kaliszan could not participate but that the company was communicating with the subcommittee and supplying information ahead of the hearing. Ramsey said Verkada does not operate a nationwide searchable network. She said customers can access only data from their own systems. The hearing comes amid mounting scrutiny of Flock’s network, which uses cameras and artificial intelligence to capture and analyze vehicle movements. Hawley said he wants answers about who can access the data, how long it is retained and whether the systems can be hacked. “There’s something like 20 billion images,” Hawley said. “Who has access to these images? What are the protections around them? How secure is the system from getting hacked? I just have a lot of concerns.” Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the panel’s top Democrat and the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said he intends to examine Flock’s collection, retention and dissemination of information. Durbin acknowledged that automated license-plate readers have helped locate missing people, stolen vehicles and criminal suspects. But he also pointed to reports of officers using the technology for personal reasons, erroneous searches contributing to wrongful stops or arrests, and warrantless access to records documenting people’s movements. The FBI has defended its use of Flock technology. FBI Director Kash Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this week that the bureau used the system to help locate the Brown University shooter and recover victims of child exploitation. Patel said the cameras are deployed in places where people have “no reasonable expectation of privacy” and that the FBI works with companies and local governments on individual cases rather than maintaining continuous access. Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Adam Schiff of California separately opened an investigation this week into Flock’s handling of license-plate data. They cited concerns about privacy and the possibility that information could be improperly shared with federal immigration authorities. Flock said it welcomed the senators’ interest and would respond to their questions. Representatives for Axon and Motorola Solutions did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The congressional scrutiny reflects a broader debate over surveillance tools that are being installed in more cities and marketed as crime-fighting technology. Supporters say the systems can help police identify vehicles connected to serious crimes. Privacy advocates argue that broad data collection can create detailed records of residents’ movements without a warrant or meaningful public oversight. The subcommittee’s hearing is expected to focus on the safeguards governing these systems, including limits on access, data retention, information-sharing practices and protections against misuse.