Flagstaff council moves to revisit renewal of Flock Safety license-plate reader contract amid privacy concerns

Flagstaff City Council on Oct. 28 heard extended public comment and technical briefings before directing staff to bring consideration of the city's Flock Safety automated license-plate reader (ALPR) contract back to a future regular agenda with additional safeguards to evaluate. The council did not vote to cancel the contract at the meeting.

The council, police and city staff framed the system as an investigative tool. Flagstaff Police Chief Sean Collier said the department has used the Flock system for about a year and that every search is "logged, audited, and accountable," adding, "We do not use this technology to surveil people. We do not share data without cause." He told the council the department had used the system in hundreds of incidents and said it assisted more than 270 victims in the previous 12 months.

Why it matters: The Flock system detects license plates and alerts officers when plates on a department hot list are seen; supporters say it narrows investigations and speeds responses to serious crimes such as kidnappings and hit-and-runs. Opponents contend the cameras create a persistent map of people's movements, can be misused by third parties, and pose special risks to immigrants and marginalized groups. Hundreds of residents, civil liberties advocates and several local organizations told council they want outright cancellation or far stricter legal protections.

What staff and police described: Deputy Chief Colin Seay and the city's chief information officer, CJ Perry, gave statutory and technical context for how the…