Overview
- Plymouth's council voted to cancel its Flock Safety contract and police disconnected the system, but several company-owned cameras and poles remain physically in place with no scheduled pickup.
- Officials in Dayton and Lebanon reported that Flock crews reactivated or removed cameras without clear city authorization, and the company has said removal timelines vary and some actions were errors.
- Police departments argue Flock's camera network helps solve violent crimes and has raised Providence's homicide clearance rate, leading some chiefs to push elected leaders to keep the system.
- Journalistic reporting and local investigations have documented officer misuse, lingering account access after staff changes, and uneven local rules for who may search the license-plate database.
- The disputes expose how Flock's subscription model — where the company owns hardware, controls installation and coordinates removal — creates legal and logistical gaps that are prompting local bans, policy reviews, and new state guidance.