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Tempe Mayor Corey Woods Announces City Will Discontinue Use of Flock Safety License Plate Reader Cameras

The City of Tempe has officially turned off its Flock license plate reader cameras and plans to end its contract with community safety technology provider Flock Safety. Mayor Corey Woods stated that while the cameras have assisted police officers in their duties, the risk of misuse is too great to maintain community trust. The decision follows reports of technology irregularities and instances of which police officers in other agencies have misused the system for personal reasons. Across the country, an accelerating number of localities are dropping Flock contracts. In Massachusetts, Police Chief Ken Fitzgerald of Bellingham and Police Chief Michael Jenkins of East Bridgewater have also moved to deactivate their systems due to concerns over transparency, pricing, and data security. Similarly, the administration announced that the technology is being scrutinized by Senator Josh Hawley, who is investigating the AI-driven surveillance data. While Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley has introduced new privacy measures, such as reduced data retention, many communities are prioritizing data protection and the risk of over-surveillance.

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