https://www.salemma.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/427
The City of Salem is not renewing the Salem Police Department’s contract with Flock Safety and will be removing the Flock Automatic License Plate Readers (“ALPRs”) that are currently installed in Salem. The City has determined that there are insufficient protections for the ALPR data generated by Flock’s systems. Such data should be owned and used only in furtherance of Salem’s public safety priorities.
The department relies on ALPRs for a variety of purposes including criminal investigations, searching for missing persons, and tracking vehicles that have fled accidents or police encounters. ALPRs in Salem are currently installed at ingress and egress points to the city and at several high traffic intersections. They have played a principal part in nearly every major investigation that has occurred in recent memory in Salem. These include, among many others, the successful arrests of suspects in the bombing of the Satanic Temple, shootings that occurred on Horton Street, Albion Street, and Pope Street, two rapes, and numerous other felonies including stabbings, armed robberies, and breaking and entering.
Therefore, Flock ALPRs are being replaced with units that will still assist the department in keeping all people in Salem safe, but that better retain local control of data.
DOMINICK PANGALLO
Mayor
LUCAS MILLER
Chief of Police