Foster council tables vote on removing Flock cameras

14 August 2026.

The Foster Town Council tabled a motion to remove the town's two Flock Safety license-plate reader cameras on August 14, 2026, after resident complaints and council discussion about data handling. The police chief reported that Foster has operated the cameras for approximately two years at an annual cost of $6,000, with the initial purchase funded through money set aside from another program. The chief stated that the town owns the captured images, which are deleted after seven days unless retained as part of an investigation.

Concerns raised during the meeting centered on data access and oversight. Council members noted that outside agencies, including the Providence Police Department, can query Foster's camera data through cloud-based sharing agreements. The chief indicated that the town could modify access settings to require outside agencies to request information from Foster rather than accessing it directly. Residents and council members questioned the town's actual control over the data once collected and where it travels after capture.

The council voted to table the removal motion pending a presentation from a Flock Safety representative, with September 10 targeted as the meeting date. The town solicitor agreed to research the existing contract, pending litigation related to license-plate readers, and constitutional questions before that meeting. A state legislator present indicated plans to introduce bills next session addressing local control and civil-rights protections around plate-reader cameras. Residents in other Rhode Island communities can review similar camera contracts and data-sharing practices with their own local police departments and town councils.

Read the original reporting: Uprise RI.