South Kingstown, RI

The South Kingstown Town Council voted unanimously on July 27, 2026 to terminate the town's contract with Flock Safety and remove its half-dozen automated license plate reader cameras. The town had awarded the contract on June 23, 2025, issued the purchase order July 8, 2025 and signed the agreement July 16-17, 2025; the one-year trial had only begun when the first camera was installed and validated on February 19, 2026.

What moved this decision

  • Dozens of constituent complaints and residents attending the meeting to support cancellation
  • Privacy concerns and potential misuse of camera data
  • An ACLU of Rhode Island letter urging cancellation
  • Councilors’ unsatisfied questioning of a Flock Safety representative at the meeting

What happened afterwards

The cameras were ordered removed immediately and the town began working to secure a partial refund of the contract's remaining operational costs. South Kingstown's vote started an eleven-day cascade in Rhode Island: Narragansett terminated on August 3 and Glocester on August 6.

What we still don’t know

These are the records we would need to describe this decision completely. If you can help obtain them, or already have them, get in touch.

  • Whether the partial refund was obtained and in what amount
  • Whether the cameras were physically removed and on what date

Sources

  1. ACLU of Rhode Island — South Kingstown Cancels Flock Safety Contract after Community Advocacy, ACLU Letter
  2. The Independent (RI) — SK Town Council votes to end Flock deal, take down cameras
  3. WPRI — South Kingstown to stop using automated license plate readers