New Bedford police chief recommends firing 2 officers following Flock camera investigation

Our Take

Credit to NBC 10 WJAR for digging into this one. A police chief recommending termination over Flock camera misuse isn't a routine personnel story — it's a rare moment where the public actually gets confirmation that the 'trust us' promises departments make when they install these networks don't always hold up. Flock pitches its system as audit-proof, logged, and accountable. New Bedford just showed what happens when someone decides to test that assumption anyway.

The frustrating part is how little the public usually learns in these situations. We don't get details on what exactly was searched, who was looked up, or whether the people affected were ever notified. An internal investigation and a firing recommendation can close the book for the department while leaving the actual victims of the misuse completely in the dark. That asymmetry — cops get due process and a clear resolution, residents get a press release — is baked into how these systems are governed almost everywhere they're deployed.

This is exactly why we keep pushing people to find out if their own town is wired up. Audit logs only matter if someone outside the department is allowed to see them, and right now that's rarely the case. Check our camera map to see what's watching your area, and visit take action for ways to push your city council toward real transparency before your town becomes the next headline.