Maddy Thurber, Staff Writer
Chase Berman, Contributing Writer
The City of Richmond announced it will not renew its contract with Flock Safety, a company that provides automated license plate readers on Oct. 10.
The city has not ruled out working with another company, leaving questions about what the future of the technology will look like in Richmond. According to a previous CT report, the existing contract remains in place until June 30, 2027.
The current contract will cost the city $285,000 in fiscal year 2027, according to Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards. The decision comes as concerns about surveillance technology continue and neighboring counties Goochland and Henrico cancel their respective Flock contracts.
Avula said in a press conference the decision was partly connected to Henrico’s decision to cancel. In his official announcement, he explained that cooperation between Richmond and surrounding areas can help police investigate crimes, since criminal activity does not stop at city and county boundaries.
The transcript from the official announcement can be found on the City of Richmond’s website.
ALPRs take pictures of vehicle license plates and turn the information into searchable data. Police can use the technology to help locate stolen vehicles and gather information during investigations.
Avula said the other reason for cancellation was community concerns regarding privacy. Citizens nationwide have questioned how information is collected, who can access it and worry about police abuse.
Flock cameras are simply a part of the greater investigation, Edwards said. While they will miss using the tool, officers still need to do the work of asking questions, speaking to witnesses and getting as much information as possible. Edwards highlighted several examples of officers using Flock cameras to track criminals, including a March 28 murder and a ring of car thefts in September.
He said he understands community push back.
“People act as if there is not a spectrum to be on,” Edwards said. “Obviously, this is a powerful tool, that’s why it’s so concerning to members of our community.”
Richmond currently uses Axon, a police drone and camera provider, in conjunction with their Connect Richmond program, where business owners can give direct contact information or link cameras to police monitoring. Axon has stepped into other communities after Flock contracts were cancelled.
Edwards said the overwhelming majority of businesses provide contact information but are not fully integrated with Axon. 30 businesses and apartments around Richmond give direct access.
It remains unclear whether Richmond plans to abandon ALPR systems or change how it uses them. Avula said the city will continue to use Flock-provided gun shot detectors after the ALPR contract expires. Any future agreement could come with different policies or requirements.
Avula said the feedback is not representative of the whole of Richmond, but acknowledged privacy and abuse concerns. He plans to host community events regarding the use of ALPR systems throughout the remainder of the contract, continuing the discussion and allowing for a greater variety of voices. Avula said he wants those affected by crime to feel heard as well.
James Mercante, director of public affairs at the Richmond Police Department said that Edwards feels similarly to Avula in regards to public feedback.
“Chief Edwards attends numerous community meetings, city council meetings, command staff walks in neighborhoods and other gatherings where he has received more rounded feedback for the Flock automatic license plate reader program,” Mercante said.
According to Richmond Police’s Flock Safety page, video is stored for 21 days, before being deleted and is only available to local Virginia law enforcement. Officers must sign and initial a pledge to prevent abuse, confirm they have the correct car during a stop and may not sell or give data to federal agencies or private entities. Abuse is a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and fines up 50 $2,500.
Earlier this year, a quarterly audit found that a sergeant misused data by sharing footage with the FBI during a homicide investigation. According to RPD, the sergeant was not prosecuted, but their access privileges were revoked.
Brad Lehmann, assistant professor of criminal justice at VCU and former police sergeant, said he appreciates how ALPRs can be used, such as in missing or endangered persons cases, locating known criminals and corroborating alibis. However, he said he also has questions about ALPR’s infallibility.
Lehmann said one of his biggest concerns is how ALPRs can learn patterns and track social associations, even if someone is not actively involved in a crime. This can lead to a chilling effect on political participation and can increase biases held by officers.
“Local governments should begin by asking a fundamental question: Does the public safety benefit outweigh the intrusion into privacy and the potential erosion of public trust?” Lehmann stated.
Lehmann stated increased accountability, transparency and oversight will be key in improving public trust in ALPR systems.
He feels that people are wary of the technology because of abuse scandals in local and national media, as well as the obfuscation of camera locations, when and how ALPR cameras are used. He called for substantive punishments for misuse of the technology.
According to Lehmann, having reason-coded queries would reduce the ability of police officers to surveil citizens based on biases or personal interests. Civilian review boards and continuous discussion regarding use could show how the technology benefits society as a whole.
“In many ways, the ALPR debate reflects a larger societal question: How much surveillance are citizens willing to accept in exchange for public safety benefits?” Lehmann said. “That is ultimately a democratic question, not just a technological one.”