Boulder to keep 30 Flock license-plate readers active during review
A city-led community engagement is planned for January through March, with results intended for City Council consideration in April as officials weigh the program’s future.
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Boulder plans to keep its 30 Flock license-plate readers operating during a city-led review scheduled for January through March, with results intended for City Council consideration in April, the Police Oversight Panel chair said at an Oct. 12 meeting.
The city’s Communications and Engagement Department will develop and run the process. The panel was invited to help design and host listening sessions and community conversations. The engagement plan was still being developed, and the chair said the goal was to give Council input for a formal decision about continued use of license-plate reader systems or Flock.
The engagement is part of a broader review. Boulder paused its planned vendor-selection process to allow more community engagement and policy discussion, and said it expected greater clarity on future decisions in spring 2027. The city said the review would consider public safety, technology use, data collection and privacy, as well as civil rights, transparency, accountability and public trust.
During the pause, the city said it would continue operating under its existing Flock contract and reduce data storage from 28 days to 14 days. A city staff member said at the Sept. 23 Human Relations Commission meeting that the contract runs through May 2027.
The city described its March temporary contract extension as including a 30-day opt-out without the previous financial penalties, updated privacy and security requirements, and monthly meetings to review data and performance. The city said then that attorneys were still drafting the specific provisions.