As an increasing number of cities decide to terminate their agreements with Flock Safety, they are encountering significant hurdles in removing the surveillance technology. In Plymouth, Minnesota, the city council voted to end its contract with the company in September, but the firm failed to respond to the cancellation request. The automated license plate reading cameras stayed in place for over a month without any acknowledgment from the provider, prompting Police Chief Eric Fadden to take direct action by physically disconnecting the devices.
Unauthorized Reconnections and Delays
Chief Fadden explained to The Drive that after waiting more than a week without hearing back, he instructed department staff to unplug the power cables from the cameras to guarantee they were neither operational nor recording license plates. Approximately 20 miles away in Dayton, Minnesota, the local government encountered a different challenge with the same vendor. Although Flock acknowledged the cancellation request and stated it would require up to 60 days to clear the hardware, the company reinstalled two cameras within municipal boundaries without permission and despite explicit instructions from the local police department to halt the work order.
The local government in Dayton detailed the incident in a Facebook statement, explaining that the police department discovered a maintenance work order from Flock on September 17, 2026. The city informed the company the following day that the program was suspended and work orders must not be fulfilled, but this directive was disregarded and the equipment was restored to service without authorization.
Company Response and Previous Incidents
Addressing the situation in Plymouth, Flock spokesperson Andrew Smith told The Verge that the company takes pride in the effect its technology achieved in the area, respects the municipal choice, and is cooperating with the client to arrange the removal of the hardware. Similar complications occurred previously in Illinois, where the company declined to remove devices and uncovered cameras at Elgin Community College after school administrators attempted to cancel their agreement.
