David Morales pledges to cancel Providence's Flock contract
David MoralesRhode Island state representative and Democratic candidate for Providence mayor
David Morales and Mayor Brett Smiley on Flock cameras, from "One on One with Ian Donnis," Aug. 21, 2026.
Two excerpts joined by a one-second black gap: 0:00 to 0:34 and 12:27 to 13:40 of the Rhode Island PBS video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: Rhode Island PBS. Excerpt used for news reporting and commentary
Providence mayoral candidate David Morales pledged to cancel the city's Flock contract, citing alleged violations of state law and local data-sharing agreements.
“As mayor, we will cancel our existing contract with the for-profit Flock Surveillance Company.”
Original video
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
In separate interviews, Providence mayor Brett Smiley and challenger David Morales give opposing answers about continued use of Flock license-plate readers.
Watch the clip from this source at the top of the page.
Before the quotation
Ian Donnis asked Morales whether Providence should allow license-plate readers like Flock.
After the quotation
Morales said the company's alleged violations of state law and data-sharing agreements were a risk the city should not take.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Morales rejects the existing Flock network in Providence and pledges to end its contract.
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More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- David Morales pledges to cancel Providence's Flock contract
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The Dispute Index. "David Morales pledges to cancel Providence's Flock contract". First published: 2026-09-29. Last updated: 2026-09-29. https://disputeindex.com/events/3035-providence-mayoral-candidate-david-morales-pledged-to-cancel