Fitchburg votes to end Flock contract
The short version: Fitchburg's city council pulled the plug on its Flock Safety contract, proving local pressure can actually roll back ALPR surveillance once it's installed.
Our Take
Credit to Channel 3000 / News 3 Now for covering what too many local outlets skip: the part where a city actually says no to Flock Safety after signing on the dotted line. Fitchburg ending its contract isn't just a budget footnote — it's proof that these deals aren't permanent fixtures once residents and council members start asking who actually benefits from a network of cameras logging every car that passes through town.
Flock's pitch is always the same: stop crime, find the bad guy, keep the data "safe." What rarely gets mentioned upfront is the open-ended retention, the quiet data-sharing agreements with other agencies, and the fact that these systems track everyone, not just suspects. When a city actually walks away, it's worth asking what changed — was it cost, effectiveness, public records requests, or just enough residents showing up to meetings and saying this isn't normal.
Every canceled contract is a data point for the next town having this fight. If you want to see whether Flock or similar ALPR systems are already running in your area, check our camera map, and if you'd rather be the reason your city's contract gets reconsidered next, our take-action page has a starting point.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Channel 3000 / News 3 Now, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.