Abington Township police to end Flock Safety contracts, citing data security concerns

Event: August 19, 2026 · First reported: August 19, 2026 · 3 sources

The Abington Township Police Department in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, said this week it will not renew its contracts with Flock Safety, citing concerns about the security of license plate reader data. One of the department's two contracts expired in August 2026, and officials said the second will be allowed to lapse in February 2028. Thousands of Abington search records have surfaced in public datasets circulated by sites including HaveIBeenFlocked.com and reported on by 404 Media, drawn from a records request to police in Danville, Illinois. The department says it is negotiating with other ALPR vendors, and any new contract would require approval from township commissioners.

Why this matters

Abington's decision shows how leaked search logs from a single agency's records request can prompt departments elsewhere to reconsider their ALPR vendors, even while they continue to defend the technology's investigative value.

Key facts

Lt. Joe Blei said the contract expiring in August 2026 cost the township $9,225 per year over two years; the three-year contract ending in February 2028 costs $10,500 annually.
Deputy Chief Ed Quinn said Abington has one permanent Flock camera plus a few deployable units kept at the station.
Officials said the department has stopped approving out-of-jurisdiction search requests from other agencies after learning of the data risks, and would not grant access for civil matters such as immigration requests from DHS.
Blei said each officer who searches Flock data has an individual ID and searches can be audited, though the department has no set audit schedule.
Cheltenham Lt. Joseph O'Neill said his department holds no Flock contracts but can access the national network through subscriptions held by township businesses, with their permission, for investigations.

Timeline

August 19, 2026Abington police end Flock surveillance network contracts after thousands of the department’s searches leaked
September 8, 2026Abington is trying to break its 2028 contract with Flock amid data concerns, police chief says
October 5, 2026Abington Township Ends Flock Camera Contract as Harrisburg Debates Limits

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Abington police end Flock surveillance network contracts after thousands of the department’s searches leaked (Inquirer.com, August 19, 2026)
Abington is trying to break its 2028 contract with Flock amid data concerns, police chief says (Inquirer.com, September 8, 2026)
Abington Township Ends Flock Camera Contract as Harrisburg Debates Limits (Northeast Times, October 5, 2026)

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About this record

BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.

Updated October 5, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.