GRAFTON – Grafton Police are disabling their Flock Safety license plate reader cameras amid growing concerns over privacy and potential misuse of the technology.
Police Chief Neil Minardi announced the decision on social media. Some of the department’s cameras have also reportedly been vandalized as automated license plate readers face increased scrutiny around the country.
Grafton’s decision comes shortly after Hopkinton announced it was terminating its contract with Flock Safety, citing what town officials described as “statutory deficiencies” that made its agreement unlawful under Massachusetts law.
The cameras automatically capture license plate information that can be used by law enforcement during investigations, but their use and the handling of the information they collect have become the subject of an expanding privacy debate.
