WARWICK, R.I. – The Warwick City Council is reviewing its contracts with for‑profit surveillance firms Flock Safety and Altumnit after the city’s own data showed limited safety benefits and a significant shortfall in expected ticket revenue.
Background on the camera programs
Warwick installed 11 Flock automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) cameras that captured roughly 432,000 license‑plate images in the last 30 days, resulting in 186 searches. The city also contracted for 24 Altumnit red‑light cameras placed near schools, which record only when a traffic violation is detected.
Revenue projections miss the mark
When the contracts were first approved, officials cited a potential windfall: Altumnit claimed each ticket could generate up to $7.80, and the mayor projected as much as $9 million in annual revenue. The FY 25 budget rejected a $1.3 million speed‑camera estimate, but the FY 26 budget projected $4.2 million in court fines. By March 2026, actual fines totaled $1.5 million, and the FY 27 budget now estimates $2 million – a deficit of more than $2 million from the original projection.
Mayor Picozzi told council members that a comprehensive study would be undertaken to determine why the cameras have not met revenue expectations, emphasizing the need to protect the city’s finances.
Privacy and constitutional concerns
Critics argue that the ALPR system records every vehicle that passes, creating a “warrantless mass‑surveillance” environment that infringes on constitutional privacy rights. The Rhode Island ACLU has praised Governor Dan McKee’s statewide pause on further ALPR installations, noting the need for clear, uniform safeguards.
State police recently spent $600,000 to place 39 cameras across Rhode Island, but two of the devices in East Greenwich were deactivated after public outcry. Governor McKee’s moratorium reflects growing resident opposition, as seen in neighboring towns such as Glocester, South Kingstown, Narragansett, and Little Compton, which have either cancelled or declined new Flock contracts.
Council’s next steps
The council is expected to vote on whether to terminate the existing agreements, renegotiate terms, or seek alternative traffic‑safety solutions that do not rely on constant video monitoring. Council members have expressed concern that the cameras have not demonstrably improved public safety and that the financial burden falls on taxpayers.
Mayor Picozzi previously defended the cameras, stating, “We give out an average of 200 tickets a week, and that doesn’t scratch the surface. People want us to do something.” However, the recent revenue gap and privacy complaints have prompted a reassessment of the program’s overall value to Warwick residents.
Community response
Local activists have created a website, “Have I Been Flocked,” to track vehicle searches, and many residents have voiced objections to the perceived intrusion. The council’s decision will likely set a precedent for how other Rhode Island municipalities handle similar surveillance contracts.
Original reporting: Warwick Post — read the source article.
