Automated License Plate Readers

Providence implemented FLOCK automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology to help law enforcement more quickly identify and locate vehicles connected to criminal activity.

The technology provides investigators with information that can help identify suspects, develop investigative leads, apprehend offenders, prevent repeat offenses and improve overall community safety. The presence of cameras in public locations may also serve as a deterrent to individuals considering committing crimes using vehicles.

There are currently 60 FLOCK ALPR cameras in use in Providence under the City's existing contract with FLOCK Safety.

Any future changes to camera deployment or expansion would be handled through the City's public procurement process. At this time, the City is not announcing any specific changes beyond the existing contract.

The Providence Police Department began using FLOCK ALPR technology in April 2022 with a pilot program involving 25 cameras. Additional cameras were added a little more than a year later.

FLOCK is used as an investigative tool to help identify and locate vehicles connected to criminal investigations.

On a daily basis, investigators may use FLOCK information to develop leads, identify vehicles associated with criminal activity and help locate vehicles connected to active investigations.

The technology can also support longer-term investigations by helping investigators establish connections and develop information that may otherwise be more difficult or time-consuming to obtain.

FLOCK ALPR data was instrumental in the investigation into the Brown University shooting, helping investigators identify the suspect's vehicle and ultimately locate the suspect in Salem, New Hampshire.

Yes. FLOCK has become an important investigative tool for the Providence Police Department and has been used in just about all of the Department's major cases.

The technology can help investigators identify and locate vehicles connected to criminal activity more efficiently, which can contribute to faster investigative progress and improved outcomes.

Providence has seen a significant increase in its homicide clearance rate since implementing FLOCK ALPR technology.

• Between 2012 and 2021, before FLOCK was deployed, Providence recorded 156 homicides, of which 104 were cleared: a 66% clearance rate.
• From 2022 through 2026, following deployment of FLOCK, Providence recorded 42 homicides, of which 35 were cleared: an 83% clearance rate.
• That represents a 17-percentage-point increase in the homicide clearance rate.

The Department considers FLOCK one of several investigative tools that contribute to its ability to investigate and solve serious crimes. The data does not suggest that FLOCK alone caused the increase in clearance rates.

There are currently 64 authorized FLOCK users, representing approximately 15% of the Department's sworn officers.

Access is primarily concentrated among detectives and supervisors within the Detective Bureau, with additional supervisors in select units and investigators assigned to hit-and-run investigations within the Traffic Bureau.

Access to FLOCK data is governed by the Providence Police Department's ALPR policy, which establishes rules governing access, retention, use and sharing of ALPR information.

The Providence Police Department has established policies governing the use of ALPR technology, including standards for data access, retention, use and sharing.

The Department also has formal memoranda of understanding with 14 partner law enforcement agencies that have access to the Providence FLOCK network. Those agencies are required to follow the applicable policies governing use of the system.

Providence's policy prohibits the use of ALPR technology for immigration enforcement or for analytics based on race or other protected characteristics.

FLOCK ALPR technology is designed to capture images and information associated with vehicles and license plates traveling in public spaces. It is an investigative tool focused on vehicle information rather than identifying or tracking individuals based on their personal characteristics.

Providence Police Department policy limits how the technology and resulting data may be used and establishes requirements for access, retention and sharing.

The City and Providence Police Department understand that residents have legitimate questions about privacy and the use of technology by law enforcement.

Providence has established policies and oversight governing the use of FLOCK technology. The cameras are deployed in public locations and are used for legitimate law enforcement purposes only.

Department policy establishes rules governing access, retention, use and sharing of ALPR data and prohibits the use of the technology for immigration enforcement or analytics based on race or other protected characteristics.

The Department's goal is to balance the use of effective investigative technology with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.

We understand those concerns and take them seriously.

The Providence Police Department is committed to balancing public safety with privacy. FLOCK cameras are deployed in public locations and collect vehicle and license plate information. Their use is governed by departmental policies that establish how information may be accessed, used, retained and shared.

Those safeguards are intended to ensure that the technology is used for legitimate law enforcement purposes while protecting individual privacy.