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Bristol council approves state police Flock MOU with conditions after hours of public comment
Summary
After a lengthy presentation by state and local police and several hours of public testimony, the Bristol Town Council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Rhode Island State Police to allow installation of a Flock license‑plate reader, subject to an agreed set of restrictions, quarterly audits and a 12‑month review.
Bristol — After more than three hours of testimony and debate, the Town Council voted to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Rhode Island State Police to allow one Flock license‑plate reader (ALPR) to be installed for investigative use, with added local conditions and a one‑year review.
Police officials led the presentation. Chief Lynch said the system would be used under strict supervisory control and invoked public‑safety scenarios, saying it would aid in “find[ing] a missing or abducted child” and locating missing seniors. Colonel Michael Winquist of the Cranston Police Department described how photos of rear license plates are transmitted “in an encrypted fashion to a cloud storage database” and said departments routinely audit searches. Lieutenant Jonathan Premiano of the Providence Police Department described investigative uses, including rapid identification of suspect vehicles in violent‑crime cases.
Opponents focused on privacy, data‑sharing and legal risk. Several residents cited independent reports and audits alleging that third parties and federal agencies have accessed ALPR data in other states. Robert Patella, a Broad Common Road resident, said the system represented “a lapse in judgment” and urged the council to reject or pause the program. Madeline McGonigal of the ACLU of Rhode Island urged a statutory framework and stronger, binding limits at the state level.
Council members sought compromise. The approved motion conditions final activation on: written certification from the town solicitor that the executed MOU and policies comply with applicable state law; a requirement that any expansion of camera locations or policy changes return to the council for approval; quarterly audit reporting and a public, aggregated summary of use; defined access roles limited to senior supervisory ranks within the Bristol Police Department; and a formal one‑year council review of program impacts and audit results.
The council’s action authorizes the town to execute the MOU with state police subject to those conditions; the camera will not be activated until the town solicitor and police certify compliance with the agreed terms and the council reviews the implementation at 12 months.
What’s next: The police and the solicitor will finalize the executed MOU and return to the council with the certification and technical details before any camera is turned on.
