Did flock safety's secret cameras end Cambridge's contract? City officials say yes.
TOI GLOBAL DESK | Dec 15, 2025, 18:55 IST
Cambridge Ends License Plate Camera Deal After Company Installed Devices Without Approval
( Image credit : AP )
Cambridge has ended its contract with license plate camera firm Flock Safety. This follows the discovery of extra cameras installed without city knowledge. Residents and privacy advocates had raised concerns. City leaders stated the company's actions breached trust. The two new cameras have been removed. Cambridge will now re-evaluate the use of such technology.
The City of Cambridge has officially ended its contract with license plate camera company Flock Safety after learning that additional cameras were installed without the city’s knowledge, city officials confirmed this week.
The decision follows ongoing concerns from residents and privacy advocates about how license plate reader technology is used and monitored. City leaders said the company’s actions crossed a line and damaged trust.
According to a city spokesperson, Cambridge had already paused the use of the cameras in October after the City Council voted unanimously to halt the program. At the time, 16 cameras had been installed but were later deactivated and removed.
However, city officials said Flock Safety later informed them that two more cameras were installed in late November even though the program was on hold.
“Concerns about Flock were substantiated,” said Jeremy Warnick, a spokesperson for the City of Cambridge, in a statement shared with local media. “Due to this material breach of our trust and the agreement, the City terminated its contract with Flock Safety.” The two newly installed cameras have since been removed, the city said.
Cambridge leaders began reviewing the program after hearing feedback from residents, privacy groups and civil liberties organizations. Critics raised questions about how long data is stored, who can access it and whether information could be shared beyond local law enforcement.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has previously warned that license plate reader data collected in Massachusetts can be accessed by police departments in other states. In an October statement, the group said more than 40 police departments across Massachusetts currently use Flock Safety’s technology. City officials acknowledged those concerns, especially at a time when trust between local governments and federal law enforcement agencies is already strained. “At a point when collaboration with federal authorities is under significant pressure, the City recognizes how serious these privacy issues are,” Warnick said.
Cambridge is not alone. Nearby Brookline paused plans to install similar cameras earlier this fall. In Oregon, police in Eugene ended their contract with Flock Safety after a camera was accidentally activated and collected data when it was not supposed to.
National scrutiny of license plate reader systems has increased in recent years, as more cities debate whether the technology improves public safety or creates new risks for surveillance and misuse.
Flock Safety did not respond to a request for comment on Cambridge’s decision. The company has previously stated that claims about improper data sharing with federal agencies are false and that it has made improvements to its systems.
Cambridge officials say the city will continue evaluating whether automated license plate readers should be used at all and if so, under what conditions. City leaders plan to re-engage with the City Council and the public before making any future decisions.
For now, Cambridge has made its position clear: technology used in public spaces must come with transparency, oversight, and respect for community trust.
The decision follows ongoing concerns from residents and privacy advocates about how license plate reader technology is used and monitored. City leaders said the company’s actions crossed a line and damaged trust.
According to a city spokesperson, Cambridge had already paused the use of the cameras in October after the City Council voted unanimously to halt the program. At the time, 16 cameras had been installed but were later deactivated and removed.
However, city officials said Flock Safety later informed them that two more cameras were installed in late November even though the program was on hold.
“Concerns about Flock were substantiated,” said Jeremy Warnick, a spokesperson for the City of Cambridge, in a statement shared with local media. “Due to this material breach of our trust and the agreement, the City terminated its contract with Flock Safety.” The two newly installed cameras have since been removed, the city said.
Cambridge leaders began reviewing the program after hearing feedback from residents, privacy groups and civil liberties organizations. Critics raised questions about how long data is stored, who can access it and whether information could be shared beyond local law enforcement.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has previously warned that license plate reader data collected in Massachusetts can be accessed by police departments in other states. In an October statement, the group said more than 40 police departments across Massachusetts currently use Flock Safety’s technology. City officials acknowledged those concerns, especially at a time when trust between local governments and federal law enforcement agencies is already strained. “At a point when collaboration with federal authorities is under significant pressure, the City recognizes how serious these privacy issues are,” Warnick said.
Cambridge is not alone. Nearby Brookline paused plans to install similar cameras earlier this fall. In Oregon, police in Eugene ended their contract with Flock Safety after a camera was accidentally activated and collected data when it was not supposed to.
National scrutiny of license plate reader systems has increased in recent years, as more cities debate whether the technology improves public safety or creates new risks for surveillance and misuse.
Flock Safety did not respond to a request for comment on Cambridge’s decision. The company has previously stated that claims about improper data sharing with federal agencies are false and that it has made improvements to its systems.
Cambridge officials say the city will continue evaluating whether automated license plate readers should be used at all and if so, under what conditions. City leaders plan to re-engage with the City Council and the public before making any future decisions.
For now, Cambridge has made its position clear: technology used in public spaces must come with transparency, oversight, and respect for community trust.