Salem To End Flock Camera Pact, Will Keep Public Safety Surveillance

SALEM, MA — Salem will end its relationship with Flock Safety over concerns about how collected data is stored and used, but will continue its use of license-plate readers and other public camera surveillance.

Mayor Dominick Pangallo announced the decision late Thursday afternoon not to renew the specific contract with Flock Safety when it expires.

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"The city has determined that there are insufficient protections for the ALPR data generated by Flock's systems," Pangallo said. "Such data should be owned and used only in furtherance of Salem’s public safety priorities."

The decision to ditch the Flock cameras does not mean an end to public camera use to identify and track vehicles that may be involved in a crime, Pangallo said. These cameras in Salem are installed at the city border in several locations and at several high-traffic intersections.

"They have played a principal part in nearly every major investigation that has occurred in recent memory in Salem," Pangallo said. "These include, among many others, the successful arrests of suspects in the bombing of the Satanic Temple, shootings that occurred on Horton Street, Albion Street, and Pope Street, two rapes, and numerous other felonies including stabbings, armed robberies, and breaking and entering.

"Therefore, Flock ALPRs are being replaced with units that will still assist the department in keeping all people in Salem safe, but that better retain local control of data."

The use of the cameras, and how information is retained, owned and potentially redistributed, has been a debate point in several North Shore cities and towns, including Beverly, in recent months as residents push back against the surveillance system and law enforcement touts its benefits in solving crimes and finding missing persons.