Billerica Select Board Considers Ban on License Plate Scanning Cameras

The Billerica Select Board has discussed a first reading to remove the town's Flock Safety license plate reader cameras installed in 2024, advocating for stronger privacy protections and surveillance governance.

According to a (Lowell) Sun report, officials said the cameras were installed without a formal vote. They warned about privacy intrusions, including tracking where people live, work, worship, or seek medical care.

The cameras scan the license plates of passing vehicles and store the video footage in a database. Police departments like Billerica's have been using the cameras to trace the path of a specific vehicle operated by an individual who could be involved in a crime.

Board members expressed mixed views on whether to keep the Flock cameras for deterrence and public safety. Others have cited the need for strong privacy guardrails and data governance. The Board discussed inviting a Flock representative to participate in ongoing discussions.

Billerica Police Chief Roy Frost told the board he is “proud of the system we have put together with Flock,” according to a statement shared with the (Lowell) Sun. 

“We took this very slowly and methodically, and we discussed with our partners throughout the commonwealth, the Mass. chiefs, as well as our legal counsel to make sure we were doing everything constitutionally. Constitutional policing is very important to Billerica, and that is the approach that we took,” Frost explained. “There is nothing that is being done that is in violation of the Fourth Amendment. There is nothing being done that is not grounded in secure policy, auditing, and oversight by those policies.”

Frost highlighted legitimate real-world uses, including locating missing or at-risk people and solving crimes such as home invasions and attempted abductions. He noted that data can be retained beyond 30 days when used as evidence.

According to The Sun, Flock cameras have been installed in municipalities throughout Massachusetts, including Billerica, Tewksbury, and Lowell.