In a move that protects the critical privacy rights of residents in South Kingstown and beyond, the South Kingstown Town Council voted unanimously last night to terminate the Town’s contract with the company Flock Safety and to remove the half-dozen automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras presently in the Town.
The decision by the council came after a thorough discussion where a representative from Flock Safety was asked numerous questions and the councilors shared their concerns, and concerns they had received from dozens of their constituents, who also showed up to the meeting to support cancellation of the contract.
The contract was initially approved a year ago, in June 2025. The Council’s decision to terminate it comes just weeks after the Little Compton Town Council voted to reject installing Flock Safety cameras in that community.
Last week, the ACLU of RI sent a four-page letter to the South Kingstown council members outlining numerous privacy concerns about the Flock Safety cameras. The letter emphasized that the cameras collect more information than just license plates, that there are no state laws that protect the privacy of Rhode Islanders in the installation and use of these systems, and that the cameras are part of a nationwide surveillance system that has been misused in many ways. In the past year, dozens of other municipalities across the country have canceled their contracts or rejected the cameras due to the significant privacy concerns their use raises. In Rhode Island, in addition to Little Compton, the Warren and Portsmouth Town Councils have recently rejected police efforts to install the cameras in those communities.
The ACLU of RI has consistently advocated against the use of these ALPR systems, and estimate that there are over 290 Flock Safety ALPR cameras installed across the state, including both municipal- and RI State Police-owned cameras. The civil liberties organization has more information on its website about Flock Safety ALPR cameras across Rhode Island and the dangers they pose to privacy rights.
Madalyn McGunagle, policy associate for the ACLU of RI, said today: “The Council’s decision makes it clear that privacy can and should be defended. We’re hopeful that other municipalities follow the lead of South Kingstown, considering the concerns of their constituents, and discussing the use of these systems in their communities.”
A copy of the ACLU of RI’s letter to the South Kingstown Town Council is available here.
