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Narragansett council votes to terminate Flock Safety license‑plate camera contract after public privacy concerns
Summary
After hours of public testimony and a police department presentation, the town council voted 5–0 to end the town's contract with Flock Safety, citing resident privacy concerns and a desire to await clearer statewide rules.
Narragansett's Town Council voted unanimously on Aug. 3 to terminate its contract with Flock Safety, the private license‑plate‑reading provider the police department had used since 2024.
Chief Pennington, who led the police presentation, described the system as a focused investigative tool that “reads license plates” and said the department has used the technology to help locate stolen vehicles and missing, endangered people. He told the council the cameras were purchased with forfeiture funds and that the town paid about $12,600 in the first year and roughly $12,000 annually after that.
Residents and privacy advocates urged cancellation. Madeline McGonigal, policy associate at the ACLU of Rhode Island, told the council the group “strongly, strongly urge[s] you to cancel your contract with Flock,” citing nationwide data‑sharing concerns and stalled state legislation to limit retention and sharing.
Other speakers described broader civil‑liberty and mission‑creep worries. Jesse Pugh, who called for an ordinance banning Flock‑style systems, said the company’s network “creates a database of where people have been and when.” Supporters of the program, including the town manager and several councilors, acknowledged investigative benefits but said public concerns — and recent neighboring towns’ decisions to remove Flock systems — merited action.
After public comment and council discussion about contract terms, renewal language and potential penalties, a motion to terminate the contract immediately was moved, seconded and approved 5–0. Council members said staff should work with the solicitor to determine contractual penalties and next steps.
The decision formalizes what several residents had urged during a long public hearing: pause or end the town’s participation in the Flock network until there is clearer state guidance or a local policy framework. The police chief said the department would continue to serve the community and noted the option of restricting interagency sharing if the council requested it.
