Flock Safety operates the largest fixed license plate reader network in the United States. Their solar-powered, pole-mounted cameras don’t just capture plates — they log bumper stickers, roof racks, and vehicle color, feeding billions of monthly sightings into a searchable, cross-jurisdictional cloud database. Think of it as an algorithmic recommendation engine, except instead of surfacing your next playlist, it tracks where you drove Tuesday morning.
Pawtucket first ran a free 60-day Flock pilot around 2021 — 17 cameras, installed quietly enough that the ACLU of Rhode Island accused the department of deploying them “surreptitiously.” Chief Tina Goncalves apologized and promised transparency. Then, in September 2023, the city signed a two-year, $128,000 contract for 20 cameras across West Avenue, Main Street, Broadway, and other major arteries. Approved as an “administrative prerogative.” No council vote.
“1984 vibes.” — Noel Pichardo, quoted in The Valley Breeze, October 11, 2023…