Documented Incident
Troy officials split on whether Flock's new national policies replace need for local ALPR rules
Event: August 13, 2026 · First reported: August 14, 2026 · 2 sources
After Flock Safety announced company-wide changes to its license plate reader product — including cutting default data retention from 30 days to seven and requiring case numbers for searches by Jan. 1, 2027 — Troy City Council President Sue Steele said the council will still pursue local safeguards. Mayor Carmella Mantello said Troy was already "ahead of the game," citing measures such as disabling national search, limiting searches to New York state, annual audits provided to the council, and prohibiting use for immigration enforcement. A public safety committee meeting on potential local ALPR legislation was scheduled for Aug. 20 at Troy City Hall.
Troy illustrates a question facing many municipalities: whether vendor-imposed policy changes are sufficient, or whether locally enacted rules and audit requirements are needed to make limits enforceable and publicly reviewable.
Key facts
- Flock CEO Garrett Langley told the Associated Press that previously optional guardrails would become mandatory for customers by Jan. 1, 2027.
- Announced changes include reducing retention from 30 to seven days, with longer preservation for data tied to a case number, and required case codes for each search.
- Flock said customers could choose which offense types outside agencies may search, which the company said would let them block immigration-related searches.
- Steele, a Democrat, called the changes a possible step in the right direction but said the council would continue seeking local safeguards.
- Mantello, a Republican and a Flock supporter, said existing city guidelines already address privacy concerns; a public safety committee meeting was set for Aug. 20.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Mantello, Steele react to new Flock guidelines; committee meeting set for Aug. 20 (Troy Record, August 14, 2026)
- Troy council members to review reports on Flock ALPR data use & retention (WRGB, August 20, 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 August 20, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.