False Arrest in Cumberland: Stop Use of Flock ALPR Systems in Cumberland, Rhode Island
False Arrest in Cumberland: Stop Use of Flock ALPR Systems in Cumberland, Rhode Island
The Issue
When the Town of Cumberland began considering the use of Flock cameras on roads in the Town of Cumberland, many assertions were made regarding limitations and safeguards intended to protect against privacy and misuse. For example, it was asserted that Flock cameras only captured vehicle registration plates and other general vehicle information and that only certain members of the Cumberland Police Department would be able to access the information. However, a recent police report involving a false arrest has been released, showing a driver of a vehicle which was similar to that of a suspect was arrested for having similar facial characteristics. In the arrest report, it is revealed the falsely accused woman was targeted because Flock cameras took images which allowed police to compare her face and hair color to that of a wanted suspect. The woman targeted was released only after her arrest, when it was clear the identification was faulty. The potential over-reliance of such security cameras systems and the fact this false arrest has revealed that these cameras are not in fact only license plate readers as advertised should prompt their removal. The removal of Flock cameras is a step taken by an increasing number of municipalities, including in Rhode Island. Broader concerns regarding the abuse of surveillance this broad, especially as servers holding Flock camera files are out of state, is apparently not in full control of state and local authorities. A full debate regarding the use of true license plate readers is not excluded by acting on the recognition that these cameras, under the control of a national firm designed to offer broad, not limited, specific, surveillance services, do not fulfill the stated mandate.
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The Issue
When the Town of Cumberland began considering the use of Flock cameras on roads in the Town of Cumberland, many assertions were made regarding limitations and safeguards intended to protect against privacy and misuse. For example, it was asserted that Flock cameras only captured vehicle registration plates and other general vehicle information and that only certain members of the Cumberland Police Department would be able to access the information. However, a recent police report involving a false arrest has been released, showing a driver of a vehicle which was similar to that of a suspect was arrested for having similar facial characteristics. In the arrest report, it is revealed the falsely accused woman was targeted because Flock cameras took images which allowed police to compare her face and hair color to that of a wanted suspect. The woman targeted was released only after her arrest, when it was clear the identification was faulty. The potential over-reliance of such security cameras systems and the fact this false arrest has revealed that these cameras are not in fact only license plate readers as advertised should prompt their removal. The removal of Flock cameras is a step taken by an increasing number of municipalities, including in Rhode Island. Broader concerns regarding the abuse of surveillance this broad, especially as servers holding Flock camera files are out of state, is apparently not in full control of state and local authorities. A full debate regarding the use of true license plate readers is not excluded by acting on the recognition that these cameras, under the control of a national firm designed to offer broad, not limited, specific, surveillance services, do not fulfill the stated mandate.
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Petition created on August 21, 2026