Residents urge Tempe to end Flock Safety contract, cite data and privacy risks

Two public speakers asked the Tempe City Council to cancel the city's contract with license-plate-reading vendor Flock Safety, saying the company's terms and existing public-record disclosures put residents at risk of data exposure to third parties and federal agencies.

"A brief review of Flock's terms and conditions...reveals that all users, by using their services, grant Flock royalty free, irrevocable, perpetual, and worldwide licenses to use the images, audio, and or video segments," said Bobby Nichols, a Tempe resident. Nichols also cited a study he described as from the Washington University Center for Human Rights alleging municipal Flock networks can be accessed by federal agencies.

Tanya Pallet Hussain, a South Tempe resident and member of a local mutual-aid collective, told the council she supports public safety but described how surveillance systems can cause fear among immigrant communities and said she believes the contract should be terminated.

Both speakers asked the council to pursue contract termination; city staff did not present a response during the public-comment period. The council did not take action on the matter at this meeting. The speakers referenced vendor terms, public-record requests in other states and a published study; the councilroom record shows these claims were made in public comment but does not include independent verification by staff or a council vote.