Troy mayor vetoes ALPR limits; City Council president says override is set for Oct. 22

Event: October 16, 2026 · First reported: October 16, 2026 · 10 sources

Troy, N.Y. Mayor Carmella Mantello vetoed Local Law #3, which would shorten Flock automatic license plate reader data retention to 72 hours, restrict searches to felony-related investigations, allow the Rensselaer County District Attorney to request plate data, and require deletion once a prosecution and any appeals conclude. The all-Democratic City Council passed the measure unanimously earlier in the month, and Council President Sue Steele said the Council will vote to override the veto on Oct. 22. Mantello argued the retention limit is excessive and that professional police management, not council-drafted rules, is the appropriate safeguard, noting that police chiefs and the district attorney testified against the law. Steele and bill drafter Councilmember Noreen McKee said the law is a compromise that incorporated law enforcement input.

Why this matters

Troy's dispute shows a city council and mayor contesting who sets the rules for license plate reader retention and search limits, a question many municipalities are confronting as ALPR networks expand. The outcome, including an unresolved lawsuit over Flock payments, could serve as a reference point for other local governments weighing similar ordinances.

Key facts

Local Law #3 would cut Flock data retention from 30 days to 72 hours and limit searches to felony-related investigations.
The law would let the Rensselaer County District Attorney request plate data and require deletion after prosecution and appeals end.
Mayor Mantello, a Republican, vetoed the measure; Council President Sue Steele said an override vote is scheduled for Oct. 22.
Mantello said all department chiefs and the district attorney testified against the law; Steele said her veto message was factually incorrect.
A lawsuit against Mantello remains pending over her May emergency declaration to keep paying for the cameras after the Council directed the city auditor to pause payments.

Timeline

October 16, 2026Mayor Mantello vetoes Flock camera law, Troy City Council plans to override measure
October 17, 2026Troy mayor vetoes regulations on automated license plate readers
October 17, 2026Mayor Mantello vetoes Flock camera law , Troy City Council plans to override measure

Sources

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

Mayor Mantello vetoes Flock camera law, Troy City Council plans to override measure (Troy Record, October 16, 2026)
Troy mayor vetoes regulations on automated license plate readers (Wamc Northeast Public Radio, October 17, 2026)
Mayor Mantello vetoes Flock camera law , Troy City Council plans to override measure (saratogian.com, October 17, 2026)
As Troy mayor vetoes Flock law, council president promises override (Spectrum News, October 16, 2026)
Troy mayor vetoes Flock camera regulations (WAMC, October 15, 2026)
Troy mayor vetoes Flock camera regulations (Wamc Northeast Public Radio, October 15, 2026)
Troy mayor vetoes Flock camera regulation law (News10, October 16, 2026)
Troy mayor vetoes new city law governing use of automated license place readers (WRGB, October 15, 2026)
Troy mayor vetoes regulations on automated license plate readers (WAMC, October 15, 2026)
Troy mayor vetoes new city law governing use of automated license place readers (WRGB, October 16, 2026)

More from New York

Everything we have documented in New York, or search every New York article in the archive.

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 18, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.