Boston dumps Flock after contract breach sparks data leak

Boston dumps Flock after nationwide data breach

Boston’s municipal government has terminated its contract with Flock Safety, citing a vendor error that sent license‑plate data to servers across the United States, a clear violation of the agreement.

“We have actually abandoned Flock,” Mayor Michelle Wu told GBH News during her weekly Ask the Mayor segment.

The city’s annual surveillance technology report, covering 2025, confirms that the Boston Police Department installed ↓ 45 automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) cameras in a pilot that ran from April to September last year. Within the first days of the trial, the system erroneously transmitted recordings to Flock’s national data hub.

City officials say the breach triggered an immediate shutdown and a review of all vendor contracts. The incident arrives as municipalities nationwide grapple with the balance between public safety technology and privacy safeguards, a debate intensified after the pandemic raised concerns over surveillance expansion.

Legal experts note that the contract breach could expose the city to liability, while civil‑rights groups are calling for stricter oversight. For further details, see the Reuters coverage of similar ALPR controversies.

Dispatch from: Eleanor Cross

Chief Washington Correspondent