Boston
As of April 2025, Boston PD has planned to install 75 Flock cameras across the city.
It is unclear what stage of rollout is currently taking place. Flock offers a 45 day trial after installation, so early intervention is important.
Boston has an ordinance on surveillance oversight and information sharing.
Make a public records request and email it to us when you receive a response. This can be done anonymously.
Items to request:
- Contracts, memoranda of understanding, and agreements with Flock Safety
- Invoices, purchase orders, and financial records related to camera acquisition, installation, and maintenance
- Documents identifying the locations and number of Flock Safety cameras installed
- Policies, guidelines, or standard operating procedures regarding the use of Flock Safety cameras and data
- Records of data retention, access logs, and sharing agreements with other agencies
- Usage statistics, reports, or audits related to Flock Safety cameras
Request in electronic format when possible. If any portion is withheld, request that they cite the specific statutory exemption.
If they indicate that items don’t exist, appeal the request as this is a common tactic to obstruct public records request.
Screenshot of communications between Flock and Waltham Police Department obtained through a public records request indicating Boston PD’s Flock camera count. Click image for the full document, picture above is contained in page 51. Text version available here.
Take Action
Join us to promote legislature to ban these unconstitutional platforms. And from a harm reduction standpoint, implement legislature to minimize the scope, amount, and duration during which data is stored.
Spread the word
Meet and discuss with your neighbors to increase awareness.
Adapt your talking points. Don’t start off from a political angle. Identify a reason you think it may concern them – be it concerns of sharing with ICE, constitutional rights violation, the ever expanding power of tech companies over the lives of private citizens, or police spying on their exes.
Map missing ALPRs
Find an ALPR not on DeFlock.me’s map? Add it!
Follow instructions here. Not tech savvy? Contact us below. Please take a picture and take note of where the camera was located and we will help you submit.
Contact us
boston at eyesoffma dot com