Glocester Council Votes to Remove Flock Cameras After Public Objection

7 August 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]

The Glocester Town Council voted on August 6 to remove the town's Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras, ending a program that police said operated since December 2023. The motion passed by voice vote with at least one councilor opposed. The town remains obligated to pay approximately $10,000 for the remainder of the 60-month contract, covering roughly two years of the original five-year agreement.

Glocester entered the contract in December 2023 at roughly $5,000 annually. Police Chief Jeffrey Jenison explained that the system photographs vehicle plates and records characteristics such as color, make, and model without using facial recognition or recording continuously. He reported that the system had assisted in approximately 50 cases since deployment, including stolen vehicle recoveries, hit-and-run investigations, missing person cases, and narcotics investigations. The council voted to approve the initial contract on January 31, 2022, using forfeited asset funds, with the five-year commitment following in 2023. According to Jenison, searches require documented investigative reason, images are overwritten after 30 days unless retained, and the system flags repeated plate searches for audit.

Residents opposed the program during more than an hour of public comment. A speaker representing approximately 400 petition signers cited the lack of Rhode Island statutes regulating ALPR use, reported misuse cases in other states, and accuracy concerns. Other residents raised issues including lack of prior public notice, the presence of a camera on private property, concerns about data access and future AI capabilities, and the camera's proximity to a public pavilion. One councilor acknowledged that the initial approval and renewal occurred without full understanding of the contract. Residents can check their own town's ALPR contracts, renewal dates, and council agendas to determine whether similar programs exist locally.

Read the original reporting: Uprise RI.