Scottsdale City Council has postponed a vote on the future of its Flock Safety license plate readers until a December 1 meeting. The council decided on Tuesday night to have staff draft an ordinance implementing new safeguards and proposing criminal penalties for misuse, as AZFamily reported.
This decision means the existing Flock cameras will remain active in Scottsdale until at least December. Drivers should be aware that their license plate data continues to be collected at the 85 camera locations across the city. You can find more information on how these cameras work and what they capture on our /learn page.
What did the Scottsdale City Council decide?
During its October 6 meeting, the Scottsdale City Council voted to take several actions before making a final decision on the Flock cameras:
- Draft an ordinance: This new ordinance would introduce safeguards for the system and establish criminal penalties for misuse.
- Independent audit: The council called for an independent audit of the city’s use of automated license plate recognition (ALPR) technology.
- Review data policies: This includes a review of data retention and access policies.
- Public transparency website: A new website will be created to explain the city's use of the system to residents.
- Vendor evaluation: The council will evaluate alternative vendors to Flock and review the current contract, which is set to end in June 2028.
Scottsdale Police Chief Joe LeDuc supported the technology, stating it is an “important public safety tool” that “saves lives.” He noted the city has used ALPR technology since 2008, with the current Flock system starting in February 2023. The police chief also stated that audits found “zero” misuse of the system, though he acknowledged that ALPRs “can be misused.” Data is held for 185 days unless it becomes part of an investigation.
What does this mean for drivers in Scottsdale?
For now, the 85 Flock cameras in Scottsdale remain operational. Your license plate will continue to be scanned and recorded if you drive past one of these cameras. While the city council is working to implement new safeguards and policies, these changes are not yet in effect.
The council’s move to draft an ordinance with criminal penalties for misuse and to conduct an independent audit suggests a recognition of privacy concerns. Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky acknowledged that city residents are “overwhelmingly” against the Flock cameras. Other Arizona cities, including Chandler, have ended their use of Flock cameras following misuse reports.
The next step is the December 1 council meeting, where the proposed ordinance and other information will be considered. This meeting will be a key opportunity for residents to understand the specific changes being proposed and to voice their opinions on the future of ALPR technology in Scottsdale. We encourage drivers to stay informed about these developments, which could impact how their travel data is collected and used. You can always check our /map for known camera locations.