March 3, 2026
Police Department
DATE: March 3, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Tim Simmons, Chief of Police
Subject:
Flock Safety Contract Extension
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
February 28, 2023
November 7, 2023
April 2, 2024
January 21, 2025
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City’s current contract with Flock Group Inc (dba
Flock Safety) is set to expire on February 28, 2026. The Council is asked to consider two transitional options to extend the existing contract through December 31, 2026.
Given the influx in criminal activity since the Flock
Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) System has
been disabled, staff recommends Option A, which is to
approve a contract extension through December 31,
2026 that allows the City to continue the Flock CCTV
system, Flock Drone as a First Responder (DFR)
program and reinstate the Flock Automated License
Plate Reader (ALPR) system with the understanding that
the program would return to the Council for re-evaluation and consideration prior to the end of the extension.
Option B is to approve a contract extension through
December 31, 2026 that continues the Flock CCTV
system and DFR program but not the ALPR system.
AGENDA
REPORT
March 3, 2026
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECEIVE a presentation, APPROVE a transitional
contract amendment, and PROVIDE direction to staff
regarding the Flock CCTV system, Flock Drone as a First Responder (DFR) Program, and Flock Automated License
Plate Reader (ALPR) System – Police Department (Chief
Timothy Simmons 510-621-1802).
DISCUSSION:
Flock Safety’s services currently fall into three distinct operational categories: (1) Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology, which assists in identifying vehicles associated with criminal activity; (2) Closed -Circuit Television (CCTV), which provides fixed -location video coverage to support investigations, public safety, and deterrence; and (3) Drone as a First Responder (DFR), which allows for rapid aerial response to critical incidents, enhancing situational awareness and officer and community safety. Each of t hese tools serves a different public -safety function, and each carries distinct policy, legal, and privacy considerations that must be carefully managed. Each of these tools will be discussed later in this report.
Flock Safety Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR Technology):
Flock ALPR technology uses a specialized solar -powered fixed-location camera system designed to capture images of license plates and vehicle attributes, such as make, model, color, in real -time. The license plate data is stored in the cloud using Amazon Web Services (AWS) where the information is encrypted with AES-256 while the data is stored and while the data is in transit. The license plate data is stored for up to 30 days. The Flock ALPR system is connected to the Department o f Justice Stolen Vehicle System (SVS) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) so when a stolen license plate or a license plate on a “Hot List” is detected, authorized personnel will receive a notification in the patrol vehicles Mobile Data Comput er (MDC). Detectives can also create custom “Hot List” related to their investigation for notification.
Flock Safety ALPR system is license plate detection system and only identifies license plate and vehicles. The ALPR system does not have the capability to capture images of people and does not capture people’s information in the vehicle.
The ALPR System does not have facial recognition capabilities and is not used for traffic enforcement. The ALPR System does not have audio nor video recording capabilities.
Because the Richmond Police Department provides Dispatch and Records related service to El Cerrito Police Department, El Cerrito Police is the only agency that the Richmond Police Department shares its ALPR data. Outside agencies may opt to share their ALPR data with Richmond but Richmond does not share its ALPR
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data with any other agencies or organizations other than the El Cerrito Police Department.
Benefits of Flock ALPR System
From April 18, 2023, to November 19, 2025, there were 274 arrests, 41 license plate s recovered, 259 vehicles recovered, and 911 criminal case assists using the Flock ALPR system to generate additional leads. Since Flock ALPR was deactivated as of November 2025, vehicle thefts have increased approximately 33%.
Flock Statistics
The Flock Safety ALPR was installed in March 2023, and on April 18, 2023, the Department began tracking Flock Safety statistics.
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The data above show some of the immediate benefits of the Flock Safety system in reducing crime in the city. Due to the Police Department legacy Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) reaching its end of life, the Department decided to expand the system's capabilities by adding more ALPR cameras and adopt Flock’s Closed -Circuit Television (CCTV) to replace its aging legacy CCTV system.
Flock Safety Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) System:
The Flock CCTV System consists of two types of CCTV cameras – (1) a fixed camera that is powered by solar panels, and (2) a pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) that requires dedicated power attached to a city owned light pole.
Richmond uses CCTV cameras to discourage crime, especially in areas with high rates of vehicle-related offenses. The visible presence of cameras can reduce:
Vehicle collisions
Vehicle theft
Carjackings
Burglary and robbery involving getaway vehicles
Organized retail theft
Even when crimes are not stopped in real time, Flock CCTV cameras help generate evidence and leads, including:
Vehicle make, model, color, and unique features
Time and direction of travel
Movement patterns
Police use this information to locate suspects, identify witnesses and link crimes across jurisdictions.
Flock Safety Drone as a First Responder (DFR) Program:
The Flock DRF program is a law enforcement specific drone designed to be autonomous and can be deployed in seconds to respond and assist with police activity. The Flock drone can fly up to 60mph with a maximum altitude of 400 feet which offers 4x more coverage than 200 feet of altitude and reduces noise and increases privacy. The drone is equipped with an advance 2000 feet zoom and can arrive at a location in under 2 minutes. The program requires certified drone operators to complete a rigorous training and certification program before they can receive the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107 license).
When a call for service is received, the operator will launch the drone and remotely pilot it by the operator. The drone responds quickly to the screen and transmits live video back to the operato r who can provide additional information to the call for service to the responding officers.
Some advantages of using the drone include:
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Faster emergency response – drone is usually able to arrive at the location in under 90 seconds.
Beeter resource allocation – drone can be used to confirm what is occurring allowing officers to scale response appropriately. This prevents over-deployment of personnel.
Enhance De-escalation opportunities - Drone can provide real-time accurate information which will allow officers to approach situations more calmly and strategically. When Officers know what to expect, they are better positions to slow down encounters and reduce the likelihood of escalation. Improve search and rescue capabilities – Drones assist in locating missing persons, tracking suspects, vehicles, and help with searching large or difficult terrain areas more efficiently and safer than using a K-9. Increased transparency and accountability. The program operates under strict FAA regulations, California law and department policy.
Drone footage, with the related case number, is uploaded to Axon Evidence.com. All flights, flight paths and call for service are logged.
The Richmond Police Department remains committed to leveraging technology to deter criminal activity, supporting accountability for those who engage in crime within the city, and enhancing public safety for residents and visitors alike —while simultaneously safeguarding civil liberties and the confidentiality of residents’ personal information.
Responsible deployment requires clear policy controls, transparency, and ongoing oversight to ensure alignment with state law, City policy, and community expectations.
Accordingly, the Council is asked to consider one of two options. The first option (Option A) is to approve an extension of the Flock Safety contract through December 31, 2026, including the reactivation of the ALPR camera system during this period, with the understanding that the program would return to the Council for re -evaluation and consideration prior to the end of the extension. The second option (Option B) is to approve an extension of the contract through December 31, 2026, while keeping the ALPR system off and allowing the CCTV and Drone as a First Responder programs to continue, while the Police Department explores alternative ALPR systems, CCTV, and DFR solutions for future Council consideration.
Contract Background
On October 21, 2022, the Police Department, in accordance with Purchasing guidelines, issued an RFP for Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems, with a submission deadline of December 9, 2022. The contract was for three (3) years, with an option for two (2) one-year extensions, subject to mutual agreement of both parties. According to the Project Report, 710 vendors were notified, and the Department received 4 responses:
Flock Safety, Jenoptik, Ojo Technologies, and Utility Associates. The Department proceeded with a Phase II evaluation to conduct an in -depth review of Flock Safety and Utility Associates. Jenoptik was not invited due to cost (exceeded the budgeted amount), and Ojo Technologies was not invited (non-responsive RFP). After careful evaluation, the
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Evaluation Committee decided that the Flock Safety (295 points out of a possible 300) solution was far superior to the Utility Associates (185 points out of a possible 300) solution, best suited to the Department’s ALPR needs.
Flock Safety is based in Atlanta, Georgia, with a mission to assist police departments and the communities they serve to reduce crime. Curre ntly, there are over 5000 law enforcement agencies across 49 states and over 6000 communities that use Flock Safety technology. Most cities in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco County use Flock ALPR, including San Pablo, El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley, Hercules, Concord, Walnut Creek, Bay Point, Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, Clayton, Orinda, Emeryville, Piedmont, Oakland, Alameda, San Francisco, Daly City, incorporated Contra Costa County and the California Highway Patrol.
On February 21, 2023, the Depa rtment put forth an agenda item (Z.2) for a three -year Flock Safety contract that was continued to the February 28, 2023, meeting. On February 28, 2023, a three-year contract with a not-to-exceed amount of $249,600 was presented to the City Council. First year’s cost was about $92,600, $78,500 for year two, and $78,500 for year three. The item (V.1) was approved after public comment and discussion. The initial contract covered the installation of 30 Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras, maintenance, and the use of the Flock system software.
On September 19, 2023, the Police Department put forth a request on the agenda (Item Q.8.a) to request an additional 70 ALPR cameras and 40 CCTV cameras. This item was moved to the November 7, 2023 City Council Meeting (Item W.12.e) which was discussed and passed.
During the early stages of onboarding the Flock system, some City Council members and City department heads expressed a strong desire to expand the program to other parts of the city. During the budget presentation on June 6, 2023, the proposed expenditure of $253,500 was added to the Police Department's General Fund budget. The $253,500 expenditure was to fund 70 additional ALPR cameras and maintain the annual expenditure for the 30 ALPR cameras installed.
On June 20, 2023, the City Council reviewed the proposed Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget, which included a $200,000 expenditure to fund 40 Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) CCTV cameras.
The budget was adopted. In total, the City Council authorized the Richmond Poli ce Department to spend $375,000 to fund 110 additional cameras (70 ALPR and 40 CCTV).
To advance the City Council’s budgetary priorities, RPD staff proposed installing additional cameras in other high -crime/blight/high-traffic geographic locations, includi ng locations that were served by our outdated CCTV cameras. For reference, the average cost to replace the CCTV equipment was approximately $9,000 to $12,000 per camera, and the average cost of a Flock Safety camera is $3,000.
As part of the expansion project, the Police Department used 4 of its Flock Safety ALPR cameras and 2 of its Flock Safety CCTV cameras to assist abatement teams in curbing illegal dumping in hotspot areas of the City.
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On April 2, 2024, the Port of Richmond requested a second contra ct amendment with Flock Safety (L.2 and W.4.a) to install, maintain, and support 6 Flock cameras to prevent sideshows, prevent vandalism, and illicit activity at the port, in an amount not to exceed $39,900.
On January 21, 2025, the Department put forth a third contract amendment to increase the expenditure by $1,000,000, bringing the total three -year contract not to exceed $2,037,000. The increased expenditure was for the addition of a mobile ALPR/CCTV trailer, Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, an d to accommodate additional department requests for Flock Safety technology, including the City of Richmond owned property.
In June 2025, using the Department’s Flock Safety contract, the Department assisted Public Works with installing 13 Flock Safety s urveillance cameras and 3 Flock Safety ALPR cameras to curtail theft and vandalism. The estimated cost of the equipment for the first year was $65,000. In October 2025, the Department worked with Flock Safety to install 4 solar -powered fixed CCTV cameras i n the Civic Center parking lot to combat vehicle theft, Cadillac Converter theft, and vandalism of city property.
In total, considering the initial Flock Safety Contract that was executed on November 7, 2023, to include the three contract amendments by R PD and the addition of the Port of Richmond Contract, Civic Center, and the Abatement Unit, which were executed in years 2024, and 2025, there are currently 96 Flock ALPR cameras and 65 Flock CCTV -PTZ cameras deployed in the City of Richmond (ALPR Cameras have been turned off since October 2025).
In October 2025, the Chief of Police became aware that a previously enabled back -end feature in the Flock Safety operating system enabled a “national lookup” capability. This functionality created a reciprocal data-sharing relationship in which searches of complete license plate numbers against national databases also allowed outside agencies participating in similar national searches for complete license plates to access the City's ALPR data. This configuration was inconsistent with the City’s ALPR policy and California law. Upon learning of this issue, the Chief of Police immediately directed that the City’s ALPR camera system be turned off, notified the City Manager, and informed the City Council. The City’s ALPR cameras have remained disabled since that time. (It is important to note there is no evidence, yet, which suggests that Richmond’s data was accessed and used for any investigatory purpose outside of Richmond PD personnel.)
Flock Safety Improvements
Since early 2025, Flock Safety has implemented several significant operating system changes that directly address the identified concerns. Most notably, in March 2025, Flock Safety fully disabled the National Lookup feature for all California agencies, bri nging the platform into compliance with California Senate Bill 34, which prohibits California law enforcement agencies from sharing ALPR data outside of the state or with federal
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agencies. In June 2025, Flock Safety permanently blocked out -of-state agencies from creating data-sharing relationships with any California agency. Additionally, in July 2025, the system was updated statewide to automatically flag and block specific search keywords—such as “immigration” —from search queries to ensure compliance with California’s sanctuary laws.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – RPD Flock ALPR Policy 433
Attachment 2 – RPD CCTV Policy 341
Attachment 3 – RPD Unmanned Aerial System Policy 607
Attachment 4 – Flock Safety Bay Area Service Coverage Map Attachment 5 – January 2025 to October 2025 City of Richmond Flock Stats Attachment 6 – Flock Safety Service Contract and amendments Attachment 7 – Flock Safety Service Contract amendment (proposed)