Boston said it will not use Flock Safety cameras. A city report showed the vendor shared license plate data with outside agencies during a 2025 pilot, a violation of the police contract. Mayor Michelle Wu said the city has 'abandoned Flock.'
At least 27 Massachusetts communities have now rejected the automated license plate readers. Wilmington became the latest this month. State lawmakers are weighing rules that would require warrants for license plate data and cap how long it can be stored.
Why it matters
Massachusetts towns keep killing Flock contracts, and state lawmakers are now writing privacy rules for license plate readers.
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Key Indicators
27+
Massachusetts communities that have rejected Flock
ACLU counted 25 by Sept. 9. Boston and Wilmington followed, bringing the total to at least 27.
10
Communities that ended or suspended Flock in September
Abington, Ayer, Groton, Southbridge, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Stoughton, Boylston, Boston, and Wilmington acted in September.
1
Officer resigned over alleged Flock misuse
A Stow police officer resigned after allegedly using Flock to track someone he knew.
11,004
Searches by Boston police during Flock pilot
BPD's audit of the 2025 pilot found officers attached a case number to searches only about half the time.
14 events
Latest: September 16th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Showing 8 of 14
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September 2026
Wilmington ends Flock contract
LatestPolicy Change
The Wilmington Police Department said it will end its Flock contract and remove the town's two cameras, citing resident privacy concerns. The department expects a $2,500 refund.
State lawmakers weigh ALPR guardrails
Legislation
The Legislature's Transportation Committee is weighing a bill to require warrants for ALPR data access and cap retention at 14 days. The same week, a Suffolk County Superior Court judge ordered State Police to release ALPR audit logs.
Boylston suspends Flock license plate readers
Policy Change
Boylston police suspended use of the Flock system and said they plan to terminate the agreement. The Select Board scheduled a public meeting for Sept. 28.
Stoughton cancels Flock contract
Policy Change
The Stoughton Police Department canceled its Flock contract effective Sept. 4, revoked all access to Flock software, and required equipment removal by Oct. 1.
Acushnet suspends, Dartmouth ends Flock programs
Policy Change
Acushnet's Board of Selectmen voted to discontinue Flock use pending review for contract termination. Dartmouth's police chief had announced the end of that town's program two days earlier.
Easton announces it will end Flock contract at end of year.
Five towns discontinue Flock use
Policy Change
East Bridgewater, Grafton, Auburn, Bellingham, and Douglas discontinue Flock use.
Hopkinton cancels Flock contract
Policy Change
Hopkinton announced it was ending its Flock contract following a legal review of the agreement.
Sharon ends Flock contract over privacy concerns
Policy Change
Sharon declined to renew its Flock contract, which was set to end before Sept. 12, 2026. Town officials cited privacy, data access, and appropriate use concerns.
April 2026
Stow cuts ties with Flock
Policy Change
Stow cuts ties with Flock after officer allegedly misused system to track acquaintance.
December 2025
Littleton orders cameras removed
Policy Change
Littleton orders Flock cameras removed after company reactivated them without town knowledge.
November 2025
New Bedford suspends Flock use
Policy Change
New Bedford suspends Flock use after officer allegedly stalked ex-girlfriend using the system.
October 2025
ACLU launches anti-Flock campaign
Advocacy
ACLU of Massachusetts begins raising awareness about Flock's ALPR technology and organizing communities to reject it.
Scenarios
1
Massachusetts enacts statewide ALPR privacy law
Possible
Resolves by Jul 31, 2027
Discussed by: ACLU of Massachusetts, Southbridge Police Department
The Southbridge police statement explicitly called for 'appropriate statewide guardrails.' If the backlash continues, the state legislature could pass a bill requiring warrants for ALPR data access, limiting data retention, and creating oversight requirements.
2
Flock loses nearly all Massachusetts contracts
Likely
Resolves by End of 2027
Discussed by: ACLU of Massachusetts, Boston.com
If the current pace continues, Flock could be left with only a handful of contracts in Massachusetts. The ACLU is actively organizing communities to reject the technology, and each new defection makes it easier for others to follow.
3
Flock adapts and retains Massachusetts presence
Unlikely
Resolves by Q2 2027
Discussed by: Flock Safety
Flock could introduce new privacy safeguards, change its data-sharing model, and win back trust. The company has not publicly responded to the Massachusetts backlash, but could take steps to address concerns.
4
Massachusetts passes ALPR warrant requirement
Possible
Resolves by End of 2026
Discussed by: State House News Service, Legislature's Transportation Committee
The Transportation Committee's bill would require warrants for ALPR data access from other entities, cap retention at 14 days, and bar monitoring of constitutionally protected activities. A separate data privacy bill (S 2619 / H 5479) in conference committee may also cover ALPR data.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
May 2019
San Francisco bans facial recognition (2019)
San Francisco became the first US city to ban facial recognition technology by city agencies, including police. The Board of Supervisors voted 8-1 to pass the ordinance, which also required city agencies to get approval for any surveillance technology.
Then
Other cities including Boston, Oakland, and Somerville followed with similar bans.
Now
The ordinance set a precedent for local control over surveillance technology.
Why this matters now
Shows how a single city's rejection can spark a broader movement against surveillance tech, similar to how Massachusetts towns are now rejecting Flock.
2 of 3
February 2024
ShotSpotter in Chicago (2024)
Chicago declined to renew its ShotSpotter gunshot detection contract after years of criticism that the technology was inaccurate and led to over-policing. Mayor Brandon Johnson made the decision despite opposition from police.
Then
The decision followed other cities ending ShotSpotter contracts. The company's stock dropped significantly.
Now
Demonstrated that sustained criticism can lead to contract cancellations for surveillance technology.
Why this matters now
Demonstrates how municipal contract decisions can cascade when a surveillance technology faces sustained criticism.
3 of 3
2000s-2010s
Red-light camera backlash (2000s-2010s)
Many US cities removed red-light cameras after courts ruled them unconstitutional, public backlash, or cost concerns. Houston voted to end its program in 2011, and the number of programs declined significantly nationwide.
Then
The number of red-light camera programs dropped from over 500 to around 300.
Now
Some states passed laws restricting their use.
Why this matters now
Shows how privacy and cost concerns can lead to the removal of surveillance technology that was once widely adopted.
