Newark approves three‑year renewal with Flock Safety for license‑plate readers; data retention extended

The Newark City Council on Oct. 23 authorized a three‑year subscription agreement with Flock Safety to continue use of fixed and mobile automated license‑plate readers (ALPRs), and accepted a staff recommendation to extend ALPR image retention from 30 to 365 days to improve investigative value.

Police Captain Julie Macias summarized program results since the initial 2022 deployment of 20 fixed cameras: the system generated 364 activations tied to calls for service, 536 investigative follow‑ups and 21 recovered stolen vehicles. She said ALPRs have produced leads in an array of crimes, including homicide, robbery and locating missing persons.

Staff recommended a sole‑source renewal with Flock Safety for $160,165: $40,165 in year one and $60,000 in each of years two and three. Macias noted the vendor offered to increase data storage at no extra cost for the three‑year agreement; council included the expanded retention in its action.

The council asked for and received assurances about data safeguards. Captain Macias and staff said the cameras capture still images of vehicle license plates and do not record video or employ facial‑recognition technology. Data access is limited to authorized, trained users; searches by outside law‑enforcement agencies require an associated police report number and are auditable. The department also conducts internal audits of system usage.

After questions from council members about community sharing, vehicle coverage, and partnerships with property owners who have private cameras, the council approved the renewal unanimously and directed staff to include the 365‑day retention option. The contract authorizes continuation of fixed perimeter cameras, mobile units in speed trailers, and ALPR‑equipped patrol vehicles; staff said they plan future expansion of vehicle and fixed‑site coverage as funding allows.