Oklahoma City defers Flock camera contract renewal vote

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

The Oklahoma City Council deferred its scheduled August 4, 2026 vote on renewing the police department's contract with Flock Safety, according to a city representative who stated the postponement was needed so staff could make changes to the agreement. The specific revisions were not disclosed. The existing contract expired at the end of June, and no date has been set for the rescheduled vote.

This deferral comes as Oklahoma City considers its third annual renewal under a four-year contract framework. The renewal has drawn significant opposition in recent months, with dozens of cities nationwide canceling or rejecting Flock contracts over privacy and surveillance concerns. The ACLU visited Oklahoma City in May, with national policy counsel Chad Marlow stating Flock represents problematic ALPR technology. In March, public records obtained through FOIA showed the Oklahoma City Police Department confirmed it maintains no logging, reporting, or tracking of who accesses the Flock camera system or AI database, raising questions about potential misuse. Some council members have indicated they would vote against renewal entirely, while others have considered conditional approval tied to new oversight protocols.

Others have defended the system for crime-solving capabilities and insurance enforcement. The deferral suggests staff may be developing new oversight measures or revisions addressing transparency concerns raised during the public debate. Residents can monitor future council agendas for the rescheduled vote and request records on what changes are proposed before any renewal is finalized.

Read the original reporting: freepressokc.com.