Fort Collins City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday night to direct staff to stop collecting Flock camera data immediately, begin canceling the city’s contract with the company and remove the cameras “as expeditiously as possible.” Council members also directed staff not to issue a new request for proposals for similar technology until the city completes a broader surveillance policy.
The vote followed months of public debate over the city’s use of Flock license plate reader technology, which community members said raised broader questions about surveillance, privacy, trust and data governance. Multiple council members said their concerns were not about misconduct by Fort Collins police, but about whether the city should continue using a system that passively records vehicle movements before a stronger policy framework is in place.
Several members said public trust ultimately outweighed the tool’s investigative value. Council members cited fears from immigrant families, people seeking reproductive health care and other residents who may be reluctant to speak publicly but remain uneasy with a city-funded surveillance network.
Council also questioned whether the city had seen enough quantifiable evidence that the technology improved public safety in Fort Collins. While police described the system as useful and council acknowledged it may help solve some crimes, members said they had not seen enough local data on outcomes to justify continuing the program.
Police told council they can shut off access to the data immediately, though physically removing the cameras may take longer because of contract, permitting and hardware issues. Mayor Francis noted that the city’s contract covers only 15 of roughly 50 Flock cameras in Fort Collins, meaning the vote affects city-controlled cameras, not every camera operating in the city.
The motion passed after Mayor Pro Tem Julie Pignataro moved to stop data collection immediately, initiate contract cancellation and pause any procurement of similar technology until the city’s surveillance policy is complete. In the roll-call vote, council members Nelson, Fudge, Francis, Pignataro, Potyondy, and Hoeven voted yes, while Conway voted no.
This is a developing story and may be updated as the city releases more details on when the cameras will be deactivated and removed.