· Providence, RI · Calls to end
Providence City Council unanimously advances a proposal to ban Flock cameras to committee
On Thursday night, Oct. 15, 2026, the Providence City Council voted unanimously to advance a proposed ordinance that would ban the city's use of automated license plate readers, including Flock Safety cameras, referring it to committee for further consideration, NBC 10 / WJAR reported. The vote does not ban the cameras. Providence police currently operate about 60 Flock cameras; the city's contract, signed in October 2023, costs roughly $155,000 to $170,000 a year according to the proposed ordinance. Sponsors Council President Rachel Miller, Councilwoman Sue AnderBois and Councilman Miguel Sanchez drafted language that would prohibit city agencies from operating ALPRs or accessing or using ALPR data, require the city to discontinue the technology, and take steps to terminate existing agreements. Mayor Brett Smiley has defended the technology as a crime-fighting tool and urged guardrails rather than elimination; Police Chief Oscar Perez said in a statement that he was not consulted before the ordinance was drafted. If the ordinance advances out of committee, NBC 10 reported it must return to the full council and pass two votes before becoming law, and would take effect upon passage. We have not seen a separate written council order beyond the reporting cited here.
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