Local Leaders Are Saying NO to Flock

The Wilmington Police Department announced that it is terminating its contract with Flock, citing community concern over privacy as a driving force in their decision making. The police department will remove existing Flock cameras as soon as possible.

Town and police leaders announced that Boylston will immediately suspend its use of Flock LPRs while the town's Flock contract is formally terminated. The Select Board cited issues relating to state procurement law as the reason for termination.

Waltham's mayor ordered city employees to cover all Flock cameras used by the Waltham Police Department with black trash bags.

Stoughton's acting police chief announced that all Flock cameras in town will be removed by October 1. In the meantime, town workers will cover Flock cameras with bags.

According to Barre's police chief, one Flock camera has been deactivated in Barre, and plans to install a second camera have been suspended due to privacy concerns. Barre has also deactivated all officers’ Flock accounts.

The Barnstable Town Council voted 7-3 to end the town's contract with Flock and discontinue use of its automated license plate readers.

The Acushnet Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to discontinue the Acushnet Police Department’s use of Flock license plate readers pending a review for contract termination. Until recently, the police department was using Flock's nationwide data sharing feature.

Dartmouth’s police chief announced that the town will not be renewing its contract with Flock due to privacy and cost concerns.

The Ayer Select Board voted unanimously to immediately cancel the town’s contract with Flock.

Abington's police chief announced that the police department will end its agreement with Flock and will request that the cameras be removed.

The Town of Groton announced it is terminating its contract with Flock.

The Southbridge Police Department announced it is suspending the use of Flock ALPRs. The department also noted that since the time the Flock cameras were installed, they were not used by Southbridge officers for any investigative or enforcement purpose.

The Easton Police Department terminated its contract with Flock. Easton’s police chief noted that he had been monitoring public sentiment and the concerns of Easton residents and others across the Commonwealth in the leadup to ending Flock’s deployment.

The Bellingham Police Department's contract with Flock expires in September 2026. The department decided not to renew the contract, citing cost and transparency. Specifically, the Police Department expressed concern that Flock turned on AI-surveillance features the department was not aware of, contradicting statements police leadership had made to members of the public about the technology’s capabilities.

The Auburn Police Department announced it severed its relationship with Flock due to a "contractual defect.”

The Douglas Police Department announced it will stop using Flock cameras in town, immediately deactivating all the cameras and department accounts.

After hearing residents’ concerns about Flock, East Bridgewater's police chief announced the town no longer has plans to roll out Flock LPRs. The town's Flock contract will be terminated, and the one installed Flock camera will be removed.

The Grafton Police Department began deactivating all automated license plate readers from Flock just weeks after it signed a contract with the company.

Hopkinton's Select Board voted to cancel the town's contract with Flock after significant public pushback. Notably, after a legal review of the town's Flock contract, the town concluded the contract violated state procurement law.

Stow's police department disabled the town's Flock cameras, terminated their Flock contract, and placed an officer on leave after the officer allegedly queried the Flock system for personal reasons.

The town decided to terminate a pilot program early, ending Flock deployment in Wellesley.

After the Littleton Select Board voted to temporarily disable the town's Flock LPR use, Flock reactivated most of the cameras without the town's knowledge. Following this breach of trust, Littleton officials ordered that its Flock cameras be taken down.

Police in New Bedford temporarily suspended their use of Flock after significant public opposition and allegations that a New Bedford police officer used Flock license plate readers to stalk her ex-girlfriend.
New Bedford residents speaking out against mass surveillance helped drive this victory.

City officials announced Salem would discontinue its Flock deployment and find alternative license plate readers with stronger protections around local control of data. Northshore Progressives led a coalition of local grassroots organizations and residents to achieve this victory.

Easthampton stopped using Flock cameras after city councilors cut funding for the tech company’s software earlier this year.

After months of resident opposition and grassroots organizing by Framingham Fights Back and other local organizations, the police department chose not to renew its Flock contract.

Sharon's Select Board voted not to renew the town's Flock contract when it expires in September 2026.

Attleboro ended its deployment of Flock LPRs, citing cost concerns.

The City of Greenfield ended its deployment of Flock LPRs, citing cost concerns.

Natick's Select Board unanimously voted to end the town's Flock pilot program.

After agreeing to install eight Flock cameras, the City of Watertown canceled its Flock contract. Watertown's city manager cited concerns about entrusting a private company like Flock with license plate reader data and raised questions about technology's role in policing.

After the Cambridge City Council unanimously voted to pause the city's Flock deployment to vet the technology for data privacy and security concerns, Flock installed two new cameras in Cambridge. Following this breach of trust, Cambridge promptly ended its contract with Flock.

Digital Fourth and Old Dykes Against Billionaire Tech Bros' advocacy was integral to this victory.

After Boston's Flock pilot program ended, the city opted not to continue using Flock. Boston did subsequently pilot LPR cameras supplied by competing tech companies Motorola and Axon, however.