Lafayette, Colorado, City Council voted 5-1 on October 6 to approve a 2027 budget that removes funding for the city's Flock Safety license plate cameras. This decision follows a campaign by residents raising privacy concerns about the automatic license plate readers (ALPRs). The budget requires a second appropriations vote on October 20 for finalization, as reported by The Boulder Reporting Lab.
Residents expressed concerns over the privacy implications of Flock cameras, particularly regarding federal immigration officials' access to collected data. One councilor noted, "People just want to make Flock go away."
What does this mean for drivers in Lafayette?
If the budget is finalized, the Lafayette Police Department will no longer have access to the 30 Flock cameras currently operating in the city. The annual contract fee of $77,500 was removed from the proposed 2027 budget. Drivers in Lafayette could see these cameras removed, reducing the number of ALPRs tracking vehicle movements in the area. This change would impact how your vehicle's license plate and identifying information are captured and stored.
The city council will decide later this month whether to terminate the contract before the end of 2026. The discussion also included the possibility of switching to another ALPR vendor, such as Axon. However, some residents and council members advocated for rejecting ALPR technology entirely, regardless of the provider, citing broader surveillance concerns.
Key details from the council's decision:
- Vote: 5-1 to eliminate funding for Flock cameras in the 2027 budget.
- Contract Cost: $77,500 annual fee removed.
- Current Cameras: 30 Flock cameras operated by Lafayette Police.
- Data Storage: Images stored for up to 30 days.
- Next Step: Second appropriations vote on October 20.
What questions remain about ALPRs in Lafayette?
Even with the vote to defund Flock Safety, the future of ALPRs in Lafayette is not fully settled. The council still needs to make a final decision on contract termination and whether to pursue alternative ALPR vendors. One councilor highlighted a federal court ruling in Oklahoma where a judge found that a deputy violated Fourth Amendment rights by searching a Flock database without a warrant. This legal precedent influenced the council's decision.
Drivers should continue to monitor local news for updates on the final vote and any discussions about other surveillance technologies. Understanding where these cameras are located can help you make informed decisions about your privacy. You can explore existing ALPR locations on our /map.
Some council members acknowledged the police department's reported success in using cameras for missing persons and property crime cases. However, the majority sided with residents' privacy concerns. One councilor emphasized the importance of public input, stating, "I want to know why this technology is needed before I make the decision." The decision to remove the cameras reflects a prioritization of civil liberties over perceived security benefits, prompting questions about how the city will address crime prevention without this specific technology.