Richmond Mayor Reconsiders Flock Usage

Our Take

Credit to VPM for catching something that doesn't happen nearly often enough: a sitting mayor going on camera to say he's reconsidering a Flock Safety contract rather than just rubber-stamping the renewal. Danny Avula didn't have to say anything here. The fact that he felt compelled to publicly address Richmond's ALPR program tells you residents have been asking hard questions, and those questions are landing.

We don't know yet what "reconsidering" will actually mean in practice — a pause, a policy rewrite, an audit, or just a PR move to buy time before the next budget cycle. Mayors walk these statements back constantly once the news cycle moves on. But the fact that a city executive is willing to even float the idea that automated plate readers deserve a second look is a sign that the national conversation around Flock's data retention, who can query it, and how easily it's been abused in other jurisdictions is finally reaching city halls, not just city council chambers.

Richmond residents should treat this as an opening, not a victory. Public comment periods, council votes, and procurement renewals are where these systems actually get killed or kept — and they move fast once officials sense the pressure has died down. Check our camera map to see what's already deployed near you, and head to take action for ways to keep the pressure on while the mayor is still listening.