Where Mass. cities and towns stand on Flock cameras

A growing number of Massachusetts communities are reconsidering their relationships with Flock Safety, the company behind the controversial Flock automated license plate reader cameras. 

Some Massachusetts towns have ended their contracts with Flock Safety, while others have temporarily disabled cameras or are reviewing their use. Other areas have never had Flock. 

Boston.com compiled information from Massachusetts police departments, Select Boards, municipal records, the ACLU of Massachusetts, and previous reporting to create a map showing the status of Flock cameras across the state.

Note: Boston.com will continue updating the map as new information becomes available.

Flock cameras capture images of passing vehicles and collect information including license plates, make, model, and color. That information is then inputted into a searchable nationwide network used by more than 7,000 law enforcement agencies. 

The technology has helped law enforcement investigate high-profile crimes, including the shootings at MIT and Brown. But the system has also faced scrutiny from privacy advocates and residents concerned about data security, government overreach, and alleged police misuse of the cameras. 

Natick, Watertown, and Boston ended pilot programs with the company, while New Bedford temporarily disabled its cameras after an officer was issued a protective hearing order following allegations of using the system to track her ex-girlfriend. 

In Stow, police disabled the town’s Flock cameras after an officer used the system, along with other police databases, to obtain information about someone he knew. 

In other communities, Flock remains in place while officials review how it’s used. Lynn, for example, is tightening policies governing its cameras following an investigation into alleged misuse by an officer. 

Many towns have cited resident opposition for removing its cameras — such as Framingham, where the community advocacy group Framingham Fights Back spent months urging town officials to terminate its contract. 

Many communities across the state lack police or municipality-owned Flock cameras. However, Flock Safety also contracts directly with neighborhood associations and private property owners, so other private agencies or entities operating within a town may hold their own independent agreements with the company.

Flock Safety has maintained that its system does not use facial recognition and that customers control the data collected by their cameras. In early August, the company announced changes to its technology to address privacy concerns and documented misuses of its system. 

“We understand why residents have questions about data and privacy,” a Flock Safety spokesperson said in a statement to Boston.com. “We believe public safety and privacy must coexist, and communities should have clear rules, transparency, and meaningful oversight as they decide how this technology is used.”