Flock Safety ALPR Cameras 101: Surveillance in Rhode Island

• ALPRs, especially Flock Safety cameras, are capable of capturing much, much more information than regular license plate readers, and most RI police departments can share our data with other states and federal agencies, like ICE.
• There are at least 240 Flock cameras in RI. (We don’t know the exact number because it’s hard to get detailed information from some police departments.) As a result, you can essentially be tracked as you travel across the state. We will continue to update our estimate as we get new information over time.
• These cameras are virtually unregulated in the state. Without state or local laws, we have very few safeguards around how the data is being used, who can access the data, or how long the data is kept.

Lincoln: On Tuesday, October 20, the Lincoln Town Council referred a resolution to create a subcommittee to evaluate Flock Safety technology and its intended use to the ordinance committee, so the ordinance committee can broaden the resolution to include all automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras. If the subcommittee recommends implementation to the Council, they will likely also suggest a proposed policy regulating the 12 ALPR cameras that the Town already began installing, but paused earlier this year.

Governor McKee’s Camera Installation Pause: As of October 19, Governor McKee has indefinitely paused the installation of RI State Police ALPR cameras until legislation can be passed by the RI legislature. The existing Flock Safety systems will continue to be in use. The ACLU of RI will lobby for a bill with strong and meaningful privacy protections, and will continue to call on cities and towns that have these systems to cancel their contracts with Flock Safety.

Read our initial statement in response the proposed policy after the 60-day pause. We will post a more thorough review of the proposal in the coming days.

Woonsocket: The Woonsocket City Council passed an ordinance to govern the 15 City-owned ALPRs on Monday, October 19. We sent them a letter before the first reading with concerns about the proposed ordinance, which does not adequately protect privacy, but the council did not accept our suggested amendments.

Cumberland: The Cumberland Town Council voted 6-1 on Wednesday, October 7, to support the mayor’s cancellation of the contract!

Hopkinton: The Hopkinton Town Council discussed Flock cameras with the Chief of Police at their meeting on Monday, October 5. Hopkinton currently has only RI State Police-owned camera(s).

East Greenwich: The RI State Police informed the Town Council the three cameras in EG are “disabled” but are still installed. The Council has delayed taking action until the results of the Governor’s 60-day pause.

Foster: The Town Council voted unanimously on Thursday, September 10 to cancel their Flock Safety contract!

North Kingstown: The Town Council voted 3-2 on Monday, August 18 to cancel their Flock Safety contract!

Glocester: The Town Council voted 4-1 on Thursday, August 6 to cancel their Flock Safety contract!

Narragansett: The Town Council voted unanimously on Monday, August 3 to cancel their Flock Safety contract!

South Kingstown: The Town Council voted unanimously on Monday, July 27 to cancel their Flock Safety contract!

Tiverton: On Monday, July 27, the Town Council voted 3-1 (with three absent) to approve a Flock Safety contract for four cameras subject to the solicitor’s review, and the addition of a termination clause. The Council had previously allocated $23k for the cameras in the budget.