Hey Richmond, It’s your mayor, Danny.  
  
I want to update you on something I know a lot of Richmonders care deeply about: the City’s use of automatic license plate reader technology, particularly our relationship with Flock.  
  
Last month, I promised that we would begin to reevaluate the City’s use of ALPR technology generally, and of Flock, the City’s vendor, specifically. I encourage you to go watch that video, and you can find the link in the description below.  
  
Today, I am announcing that the City will not move forward with the Flock ALPR contract when it’s up for renewal.  
  
This past Tuesday, Henrico County announced that they’ll also begin reevaluating their use of ALPR and have decided to move away from Flock. Now that Henrico has decided to end their contract with Flock, it clarifies the picture for me because Flock, specifically, is now less useful as a tool. Crime doesn’t stop and start at the City-County line, and part of what makes this technology a useful crime-solving tool, is our ability to work together with our regional partners. I’m encouraged to see that the region is joining us in grappling with this issue, an issue that is clearly so important to so many residents.  
  
However, the commitment I made to you all last month was to listen well and make a full, community-informed decision about the City’s use of ALPR technology.  
  
My team has started putting engagement sessions together so that we can hear from Richmonders whose lives have been impacted by violence and who want us to do everything we can to keep them safe, as well as Richmonders who are concerned about how the technology could be misused, particularly those who have experienced disproportionate policing, or have fears about that.  
  
Lastly, the General Assembly will be taking up issues related to license plate reader technology this session, and that work will be incredibly helpful in charting a path forward here in Richmond and across the Commonwealth.  
  
I’ll continue to pay attention to the deliberations and decisions that will come from our state-level leadership and ensure we’re responsive.  
  
So, while I've made a decision about the Flock contract, we have more work to do to ensure we’ve heard from residents who care deeply about this issue.  
  
As we move forward in this work, I promise to keep you updated on this topic. Thanks, Richmond.