Flock contract frozen as Police seek feedback

The national conversation about police surveillance has come to Weston.

The Police Department has put its plan for automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras on hold amid state and nationwide controversy surrounding the technology and reported abuses. Weston has signed a contract for cameras with Flock Safety, a major supplier of these tools, but has yet to deploy the technology because Police Chief Denis Linehan wants community buy-in before installing them.

“We want to find that balance of public safety and respecting people’s privacy,” Linehan said. “We’re going to continue to kick the tires on this and see what is best.”

In Massachusetts, news about law enforcement abusing ALPR cameras has exacerbated conversations about privacy and overreach. Two New Bedford officers allegedly used Flock Safety cameras to stalk current and former romantic partners, according to the New Bedford Light. The Boston Police Department said it would stop using Flock Safety after it was discovered that the company was sharing surveillance data outside of approved agencies, according to a WBUR report. Other national stories about police data being able to search cameras across state lines have heightened concerns about how the company’s data is shared.

ALPR cameras capture photos as cars pass, recording license plates and other details about vehicles, including make, model and other distinguishing features, according to Flock Safety’s website.

Weston first approved money for ALPR cameras at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting. Linehan said the Police Department wanted to use them to investigate a slew of break-ins across the state.

“The East Asian community was being targeted…in the region and throughout the country,” he told the Observer. “It was at that point we started to talk about the possibility of installing cameras in the town to try to assist us in these investigations.”

The town first contracted Motorola Solutions for cameras, but the agreement ended when Eversource declined to allow Motorola to install equipment on utility poles. Near the end of 2025, Linehan began talks with Flock Safety.

On Dec. 31, 2025, he signed an $20,000 agreement with Flock Safety for six license plate readers and other equipment to be paid after the last device is installed.

The Police Department earmarked $20,000 for cameras in the fiscal year 2027 budget. At a Jan. 15 Finance Committee meeting, then-Chair Bharath Venkataraman raised concerns about Flock Safety information being shared outside of Massachusetts, and advocated for consequences if data was shared outside of places the Police Department approved.

Residents approved the funds at the May 2026 Annual Town Meeting, but between rising concern about ALPR cameras and the Select Board expansion, Linehan decided to wait before taking action.

“We want to have the buy-in,” he said. “We’re aware of what the environment is right now, and I don’t want to make the decision without sitting down and talking…we’re not getting license plate readers anytime soon, in my opinion.”

Although Weston does not have its own cameras, the town can access surveillance information from other municipalities. The Waltham Police Department once shared Flock data with Weston and 91 other organizations, including the Massachusetts State Police, according to its transparency portal on Flock Safety’s website. As of Friday, Sept. 11, Waltham Police had discontinued its use of Flock cameras, according to Capt. Timothy Maher, who said the department has no further comment.

When the department still used the cameras, Maher said his department could not confirm whether authorized organizations, including the Weston Police Department, used the data.

Linehan said the majority of out-of-town information requests go through the Commonwealth Fusion Center, a State Police program that gathers, analyzes and shares information with partners across local, state and federal groups.

State Police did not respond to questions about the Fusion Center’s collection and use of data.

If the Weston Police Department does not know when a suspect went through a particular jurisdiction, they will request information from the state instead of a municipal entity, such as the Waltham Police Department, according to Linehan. He said these written requests can only come from detectives in order to limit who has access.

The police also turn to citizens when looking for information. When a “ suspicious” individual was spotted walking around a private residence on Highland Street in August, the department reached out to neighbors and social media to source home surveillance recordings that could assist an investigation. Linehan said residents are usually willing to share footage with his department.

The future of Flock cameras in Weston is yet to be determined. Linehan said he continues to meet with Town Manager Leon Gaumond and Select Board member Anupam Sachdev, the board’s lead member on the issue. Linehan said camera installation will be up to the Select Board and town residents.

“If at the end of the day, it’s agreed upon that people don’t want to have them, then so be it,” Linehan said. “But my job is to try and provide that level of security for our folks.”