Protect Rhode Islanders’ Privacy by Prohibiting Municipal Contracts Flock Safety

I respectfully urge you to introduce and support legislation prohibiting Rhode Island’s cities and towns from entering into contracts with Flock Safety or similar automated license plate reader (ALPR) surveillance companies. Public safety is a core responsibility of government, but it should never require the routine surveillance of law-abiding citizens. Flock Safety’s technology creates a searchable database of where people travel, when they travel, and patterns that may reveal where they live, work, worship, seek medical care, or assemble. While intended to aid criminal investigations, these systems collect information overwhelmingly from individuals who are not suspected of any crime. The widespread use of ALPR systems fundamentally shifts policing from targeted investigations based on individualized suspicion to the mass collection of location data in the hope it may become useful later. This approach raises serious concerns about privacy, freedom of movement, and protections against unreasonable government surveillance. It also creates risks of data breaches, misuse, mission creep, and the sharing of sensitive information with agencies far beyond the original purpose for which it was collected. Rhode Island has a long tradition of protecting individual liberty. Residents should not have to sacrifice their constitutional rights simply because they drive on public roads. Law enforcement already possesses numerous investigative tools that respect due process and judicial oversight. Community policing, targeted investigations, and evidence-based crime prevention can improve public safety without creating a permanent surveillance infrastructure that monitors everyone. I respectfully ask the General Assembly to enact legislation that: * Prohibits municipalities from contracting with Flock Safety or similar ALPR surveillance providers. * Prohibits the creation of statewide or regional automated vehicle-tracking networks without individualized suspicion and judicial authorization where required by law. * Limits the collection, retention, and sharing of vehicle location data. * Requires that any future surveillance technology be subject to clear statutory authority, public transparency, independent oversight, and strong constitutional safeguards. Technology should serve the people without diminishing their freedoms. Rhode Island has an opportunity to lead by ensuring that advances in surveillance do not erode the privacy rights that are fundamental to a free society. I respectfully ask you to protect the constitutional rights of all Rhode Islanders by making municipal contracts with Flock Safety and similar mass-surveillance providers unlawful. Thank you for your service and your consideration of this important issue.