Boston 25 News reported that the Quincy City Council approved a new surveillance technology ordinance on Monday night, Nov. 9, 2026. The vote came after residents rallied outside the meeting and urged the city to get rid of Flock cameras and other automatic license plate readers, known as ALPRs.
The report gives no vote count, so the margin isn't known.
What the ordinance does
- Gives the City Council more oversight of surveillance technology used across the city, including ALPRs
- Requires a public hearing before the city signs a contract with a new surveillance technology company
Are Quincy's Flock cameras still running?
No. Police Chief Mark Kennedy said the city's existing Flock cameras are still in place but have been deactivated. He also said he hasn't given up on ALPR technology and hopes the city will eventually approve another system that can help officers solve crimes more quickly.
The city plans to explore other potential vendors. The report doesn't name one.
What changes for drivers?
Quincy's Flock cameras are off but not removed, based on what the chief said. The report doesn't say when they will come down or whether they will.
The ordinance's hearing requirement applies to a contract with a new surveillance technology company. The report doesn't say whether it would also cover a new deal with the current vendor. Cameras run by neighboring towns, the county, the state, businesses or HOAs aren't covered by anything in this report. To see what is mapped near you, check the camera map, and for background on how these systems work, read how plate readers work.
What remains unknown?
Boston 25 News reached out to the mayor's office for an update and had not heard back. The report doesn't say which vendor the city might pick, what data a new system would collect, or how long it would keep it.
Some councilors said their concerns are less about the police department and more about what technology companies and other third parties could do with the data. Councilor Anne Mahoney said the council wants to understand those companies' decisions.
What happens next
The report doesn't give a date for any hearing. The ordinance requires one before the city signs a contract with a new surveillance technology company, so that hearing is the event to watch. Ask the council whether a replacement vendor has been named and when a hearing will be posted. Published transparency records for agencies are listed on the agencies page.