Boylston suspends Flock camera contract over procurement law violation
By ยท Updated 1 Oct 2026
11 September 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]
Boylston's Select Board announced on Friday, September 11, 2026, that the town would immediately suspend use of its Flock Safety automated license plate reader system while formally terminating the contract. The decision followed a legal review concluding that the Flock contract did not comply with Massachusetts' Uniform Procurement Act, though the Select Board's statement did not specify the particular procurement violations. Town officials stated the suspension was based solely on the procurement process and should not be interpreted as a judgment on whether ALPR technology itself is appropriate or valuable to police operations.
Boylston becomes one of nearly two dozen Massachusetts municipalities to cancel Flock contracts in recent weeks. Most cancellations have been attributed at least partly to public concern about the technology. Hopkinton similarly canceled its agreement after legal review found procurement law violations. The pattern reflects broader scrutiny of Flock Safety contracts across the state, where the vendor's lack of public disclosure about which police agencies deploy its cameras has complicated efforts to track deployment.
The Select Board indicated its evaluation of ALPR technology would continue through a structured public process. A dedicated community meeting is scheduled for September 28 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the technology and gather resident input before any future decisions. Police Department officials stated they would evaluate ALPR technology alongside other available options, pending community feedback.
Residents seeking to understand their own town's position on automated license plate readers can check for public meeting notices on municipal websites, request records of any existing or terminated camera contracts, and review Select Board or town council agendas for planned ALPR discussions [verify: specific procurement violations cited in formal termination notice].
Read the original reporting: WCVB.