Scottsdale council votes not to renew Flock contract, orders new ALPR ordinance

Event: October 6, 2026 · First reported: October 12, 2026 · 1 source

The Scottsdale City Council unanimously approved a broad motion stating it does not intend to renew the city's contract with Flock Safety when it expires June 30, 2027, and directing staff to review termination provisions and plan a transition to another automated license plate reader vendor. The vote followed a presentation by police officials arguing that ALPRs improve public safety. Staff were also directed to draft an ALPR ordinance, slated for the Dec. 1 City Council agenda, that would include criminal penalties for misuse.

Why this matters

Scottsdale is pursuing a middle path that several communities are weighing: ending a specific vendor relationship while keeping the technology under a locally written rulebook. The proposed ordinance has not yet been adopted, and its final contents will determine how far the city's oversight commitments actually extend.

Key facts

The council's motion states it does not intend to renew the current Flock Safety contract, which expires June 30, 2027, and directs leadership to exclude funding for it from the proposed FY 2027-28 budget.
A draft ALPR ordinance including criminal penalties for misuse is scheduled for the Dec. 1 City Council meeting; it has not been enacted.
Directives include an initial audit plus annual City Auditor reviews, limits on the number of employees with data access, and a prohibition on federal access to Scottsdale ALPR data except when legally required, such as by valid subpoena or warrant.
Staff were also asked to evaluate alternative vendors offering greater city control over data ownership and sharing, review the data retention schedule for possible shortening, and explore a public webpage listing law enforcement technologies in use.
Mayor Lisa Borowsky said the vote signals a commitment to responsible, transparent use; the article notes multiple Arizona cities have ended Flock deployments amid resident pushback.

Sources

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

Scottsdale preparing to cut ties with Flock Safety as it develops new ALPR regulations (KTAR News 92.3 FM, October 12, 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 14, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.