Documented Incident
Old Town, Maine councilors weigh proactive ordinance banning fixed license plate readers
First reported: September 9, 2026 · 1 source
Old Town city councilors discussed a draft ordinance from Councilor Zachary Wyles that would prohibit fixed automatic license plate reader cameras in the city and require a public hearing to reverse the prohibition. No vote was taken; councilors asked Police Chief David White to return with details on the department's existing ALPR policies and sent the draft to the city attorney for review. Wyles' draft notes that Old Town does not currently use fixed readers and that the police department has no present intention of doing so. White told councilors before the meeting that he favored regulation rather than an outright ban, arguing the question is whether a properly regulated system subject to Maine law is a legitimate policing tool.
The proposal would be the first ALPR ban in the Greater Bangor area and tests whether communities can set surveillance rules before a vendor contract is on the table rather than after. It also highlights the distinction between fixed cameras and the mobile readers already mounted on Old Town police vehicles.
Key facts
- The ordinance is a draft; councilors did not vote and further discussion was expected at the Sept. 21 meeting.
- Wyles said he wrote the measure proactively, arguing it is easier to set rules before a private company approaches the city.
- Chief White said the department already operates mobile license plate readers on police cruisers under state and departmental policies.
- Councilors cited concerns about tracking people without cause and data privacy; White asked for regulation instead of prohibition.
- The article notes Bangor residents filed complaints despite no cameras in use there, and that Brewer ended its camera use after finding software on one camera violated state law.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Old Town council considers ban of automatic license plate reader cameras (Bangor Daily News, September 9, 2026)
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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 September 12, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.