WATCH: New Bedford Council Erupts Over Flock Cameras — First Meeting Shut Down, Second Meeting Votes to Turn Them Off for Now
The two videos below show New Bedford City Council taking up Flock Safety cameras in back-to-back meetings — one that collapsed in chaos, and one that stayed on track and produced a vote.
Flock’s license-plate cameras have become a flashpoint locally and across Massachusetts. Critics see a Fourth Amendment problem: warrantless tracking of everyday movement. Supporters say the cameras help solve serious crimes. In New Bedford, that argument spilled into City Hall.
Video 1 — August 20, 2026: The council takes up motions to review, restrict, or halt Flock and other surveillance technology. Councilor Gomes tries to argue to investigate the flock system further and possibly keep the cameras with tighter safeguards and logged searches. The chamber erupts. Attendees shout over him. Despite warnings, the disruption continues. The item is tabled and the meeting is shut down for “lack of decorum.”
On the agenda that night:
Gomes: Bring the police chief, the mayor’s office, and Flock together to tighten policy and rebuild community trust.
Burgo, Lopes, and Abreu: Full review of ALPRs, data retention, sharing with outside agencies, and whether new local rules are needed.
Burgo, Abreu, and Lopes: Consider abolishing the systems — or writing municipal privacy and transparency standards.
Choquette: Shut the cameras off citywide until permanent legislation is in place.
[HN VIDEO 1 – PRESS PLAY]
Video 2 — August 26, 2026: The council returns. This meeting stays under control. Councilors speak for their constituents and vote to suspend use of the Flock cameras, at least for now.
According to recent local news reports, the New Bedford fight is not happening in isolation. In recent weeks, Massachusetts departments have faced multiple misuse cases — including a New Bedford officer accused of using Flock to track an ex-girlfriend, a Stow officer facing termination after allegedly searching a former partner, and two Lynn officers placed on leave after an audit found a “concerning pattern” of searches. Several towns have paused or dropped the technology. CLICK HERE for a recent NBC Boston report entitled, “As officers face misuse allegations, police departments rethink Flock cameras”
[HN VIDEO 2 – PRESS PLAY]
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