South Kingstown cancels Flock Safety contract after community advocacy, ACLU letter
From an ACLU of RI press
release
The decision by the council came after a thorough discussion
where a representative from Flock Safety was asked numerous questions and the
councilors shared their concerns, and concerns they had received from dozens of
their constituents, who also showed up to the meeting to support cancellation
of the contract.
The contract was initially approved a year ago, in June
2025. The Council’s decision to terminate it comes just weeks after the Little
Compton Town Council voted to reject installing Flock Safety cameras
in that community.
Last week, the ACLU of RI sent a four-page letter to the South Kingstown council members outlining numerous privacy concerns about the Flock Safety cameras.
The letter emphasized that the cameras collect more information than just license plates, that there are no state laws that protect the privacy of Rhode Islanders in the installation and use of these systems, and that the cameras are part of a nationwide surveillance system that has been misused in many ways.
In the past
year, dozens of other municipalities across the country have canceled their contracts
or rejected the cameras due to the significant privacy concerns their use
raises. In Rhode Island, in addition to Little Compton, the Warren and Portsmouth
Town Councils have recently rejected police efforts to install the
cameras in those communities.
The ACLU of RI has consistently advocated against the use of these ALPR systems, and estimate that there are over 290 Flock Safety ALPR cameras installed across the state, including both municipal- and Rhode Island State Police-owned cameras. The civil liberties organization has more information on its website about Flock Safety ALPR cameras across Rhode Island and the dangers they pose to privacy rights.
“The Council’s decision makes it clear that privacy can and
should be defended,” said Madalyn McGunagle, policy associate for
the ACLU of RI. “We’re hopeful that other municipalities follow the lead of
South Kingstown, considering the concerns of their constituents, and discussing
the use of these systems in their communities.”
A copy of the ACLU of RI’s letter to the South Kingstown
Town Council is available here.
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