'There's certainly a chance': Avula says this could be the end of ALPR technology in Richmond
The short version: Richmond's mayor says ALPR surveillance could be scrapped entirely — proof that public pressure can roll back Flock systems once cities start listening.
Our Take
Credit to WRIC's 8News for getting Mayor Danny Avula on record saying Richmond could actually walk away from automatic license plate readers. That's a notable admission from a sitting mayor, not a city council footnote. When a program built on scanning every passing car gets framed as optional rather than inevitable, it means the political ground is shifting.
This matters because the usual Flock Safety pitch is one-way ratchet: once a city signs the contract, cameras multiply and nobody revisits the decision. Richmond officials now saying they want to "listen to the community" before renewing is a rare crack in that pattern. It only happened because residents made noise about a system that tracks their movements with zero judicial oversight and plenty of vendor spin about public safety.
If you're in Richmond or anywhere else with Flock gear going up on your streets, this is the moment to speak up, not after the contract renews on autopilot. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your routes, and use our take-action guide to push your own council toward the same reckoning Richmond is having right now.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WRIC ABC 8News, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.