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Coralville council votes to terminate Flock ALPR agreement after public outcry
Summary
After extensive public comment and council debate, Coralville adopted Resolution No. 2026-16 to terminate the city’s agreement with Flock Group and rescind the police policy on automated license plate readers; the city attorney said the resolution will be submitted to the Attorney General and staff said cameras can be removed within days.
The Coralville City Council voted Feb. 24 to terminate its agreement with Flock Group and rescind the Police Department policy regarding automated license plate readers (ALPRs).
Mayor Laurie Goodrich opened the meeting’s public-comment period to a steady stream of residents who urged the council to cancel the Flock contract and to commission an independent, written inquiry into how a roughly $36,000 contract was signed without earlier council review. Resident Linda Mullen asked the council to identify any policy or legal breaches and who is responsible.
"The Council must approve all contracts," Mullen said during public comment, urging an inquiry and personnel accountability.
Iowa City Council Member Oliver Weilen urged Coralville to end the Flock agreement and to adopt procurement rules that require council oversight when surveillance or data collection will occur in the public right of way. Other residents raised privacy concerns and cited past instances when similar cameras were used to track people.
During council debate, Councilmember Rich Vogelzang defended ALPRs as a tool for law enforcement, saying they help locate missing people and assist in investigations. "Law-abiding people do not need to be concerned about having ALPRs in their communities," Vogelzang said, and he opposed cancellation.
Councilmembers Mike Knudson, Katie Freeman and Hai Huynh said public input and process concerns justified termination. Knudson urged changes to the city purchasing policy so that data-collection contracts require council review.
City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said Flock told staff it can remove cameras "within a few days," and City Attorney Kevin Olson said he will forward the resolution and related complaint to the Iowa Attorney General.
Resolution No. 2026-16, introduced by Councilmember Mike Knudson and seconded by Councilmember Hai Huynh, was adopted by roll call vote: Ayes Huynh, Freeman, Knudson; Nay Vogelzang; Absent Peterson. The resolution rescinds the existing ALPR policy and terminates the agreement with Flock Group.
The council did not adopt a replacement ALPR policy at the meeting; several councilmembers said they want clearer procurement guardrails and public notice before any future contracts for surveillance or data-collection services are executed.
The city’s next steps include the removal of Flock equipment from city property (staff said removal could occur quickly) and the City Attorney’s referral of the matter to the Attorney General for any further review. The council made no personnel decisions during the meeting.
