Tempe council member proposes city ordinance to permanently bar ALPR use after Flock contract ended

Event: September 9, 2026 · First reported: September 10, 2026 · 5 sources

Tempe Councilmember Bobby Nichols says he will introduce an ordinance to write the city's decision to stop using automated license plate readers into city code, after Tempe ended its contract with Flock Safety in August 2026 over concerns about potential misuse. As drafted, the measure would bar the city from using ALPRs for law enforcement, require destruction of existing ALPR data, and make violations a firing offense for employees, with carve-outs for missing-person cases, warrant-authorized searches, and non-law-enforcement uses such as parking management. Nichols plans to introduce the ordinance at the September 24 council meeting, with a possible vote as early as October. Retired detective and Tempe resident Bill Richardson opposes an outright ban, saying the technology is a useful investigative tool and that safeguards could be strengthened instead.

Why this matters

If adopted, the ordinance would move Tempe from an administrative contract decision to a binding local law, a step no other Arizona city has taken. It tests whether communities can lock in surveillance limits beyond the term of a single vendor agreement or council majority.

Key facts

Tempe ended its Flock Safety contract in August 2026 through staff action, without a direct council vote.
The proposed ordinance would ban city ALPR use for law enforcement, require destruction of existing ALPR data, and allow discipline up to termination for employees who violate it.
Exceptions would cover data from other agencies or private systems in limited cases, such as missing-persons searches or with a warrant, plus non-law-enforcement uses like city parking facilities.
Nichols plans to introduce the measure on September 24, 2026; a council vote could follow as soon as October. The city is collecting public input via an online survey.
According to the article, nearly a dozen Arizona cities, towns and counties have ended, suspended, or declined to renew ALPR contracts; others added safeguards instead.

Timeline

September 10, 2026Tempe council member proposes putting ban on license plate reader cameras into city code
September 11, 2026Tempe councilmember proposes ban on automated license plate readers after city ends Flock contract

Sources

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

Tempe council member proposes putting ban on license plate reader cameras into city code (Https://www.kold.com, September 10, 2026)
Tempe council member proposes putting ban on license plate reader cameras into city code (azfamily.com, September 10, 2026)
Tempe councilmember proposes ban on automated license plate readers after city ends Flock contract (ABC15 Arizona, September 11, 2026)
Tempe councilmember proposes ban on automated license plate readers after city ends Flock contract (Yahoo, September 11, 2026)
Tempe ponders ban on Flock cameras, ALPRs (The Center Square, September 21, 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 September 23, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.