Payson discontinues Flock camera contract following administrative review
The review looked at the cameras' operational value, whether or not they align with community expectations and policy considerations.
GARDEN GROVE, Calif., Aug. 14, 2026: A Flock Safety camera is mounted high on traffic signal pole at the intersection of Chapman Avenue & Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. The cameras are automated license plate reader (ALPR) and vehicle surveillance systems used by law enforcement agencies, homeowners associations, and private businesses countrywide. The cameras capture objective vehicle detailssuch as license plates, make, model, color, and time stampsrather than personal faces. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The town of Payson decided to end its agreement with Flock Safety for automated license plate reader technology following an administrative review.
The review looked at the cameras’ operational value, whether or not they align with community expectations and policy considerations, according to town officials.
It determined that residents were no longer comfortable with the town’s use of Flock cameras and that the technology did not meet their expectations or values.
Additionally, transparency and administrative concerns were identified after the company was unable to provide town staff with a static, formatted policy document regarding public records obligations and internal oversight.
Despite the decision, the town acknowledged multiple instances where Flock cameras helped law enforcement while in use, including identifying a suspect vehicle, establishing vehicle movement and narrowing down a suspect’s location.
Moving forward, the town plans to focus on public transparency, community alignment and clear administrative oversight when considering future technology options.
A growing number of Arizona communities are canceling Flock contracts
Payson is at least the tenth city or town in Arizona to drop or restrict its use of Flock cameras in the past year.
Several of those decisions followed internal audits that flagged potential misuse by law enforcement personnel, including an Apache Junction officer who resigned after using the system to locate his wife during a dispute.
Flock Safety partners with 5,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide. Its AI-powered cameras photograph vehicles and convert the images into searchable data, including vehicle details and location stored in a cloud-based system.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s David Iversen contributed to this report.
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