Whitehead moves for a Scottsdale license-plate reader ordinance, vendor review and a possible end to Flock funding
Solange WhiteheadScottsdale City Councilmember, Arizona, re-elected in the 2026 primary election
Councilwoman Solange Whitehead made the motion on which the Scottsdale City Council voted 7-0 on October 6, 2026 to direct staff to draft a license-plate reader ordinance with proposed criminal penalties for misuse. The city's release says her motion outlined audits, training, a review of data retention and access, an evaluation of alternative vendors and a potential transition from Flock, with funding for its contract excluded from the proposed fiscal year 2027-28 budget. The ordinance requires a separate council vote before taking effect.
“Action: On October 6, 2026, Whitehead moved that the Scottsdale City Council direct staff to draft an ordinance governing the city's use of automated license plate readers, with proposed criminal penalties for misuse. Her motion outlined independent audits, annual user training, a review of data retention and access, a public webpage on law enforcement technologies, an evaluation of alternative vendors, a review of the Flock Safety contract, a potential transition from Flock, and excluding Flock contract funding from the proposed fiscal year 2027-28 budget. The council voted 7-0 for the motion.”
Official statement
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
Official statement
About this source
City of Scottsdale news release dated October 7, 2026 on the City Council's 7-0 vote on October 6 to direct staff to draft an ordinance governing automated license plate readers. It describes Councilwoman Solange Whitehead's motion and Councilman Adam Kwasman's proposed exception for federal access.
Before the quotation
The Scottsdale Police Department presented information about how the cameras work and the safeguards governing their use before the council's October 6, 2026 vote.
After the quotation
The city's release says the proposed ordinance will return for council consideration on December 1.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Whitehead moved that Scottsdale draft a license-plate reader ordinance with criminal penalties for misuse, independent audits and training, and review the Flock contract, including a potential transition from Flock and excluding its funding from the fiscal year 2027-28 budget; the council voted 7-0. That keeps the cameras in use under added safeguards while leaving open a change of vendor, so we labeled it Mixed or conditional and placed it at Guardrails, keep using. The closest competing label is Condemned, which would fit a call to end the network now; her motion directs drafting and review. The closest competing remedy is Cut public funding, which the release describes only as potential.
- Recorded on
- Published here
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
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Whitehead moves for a Scottsdale license-plate reader ordinance, vendor review and a possible end to Flock funding
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/5256-councilwoman-solange-whitehead-made-the-motion-on-which
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Whitehead moves for a Scottsdale license-plate reader ordinance, vendor review and a possible end to Flock funding". First published: 2026-10-09. Last updated: 2026-10-09. https://disputeindex.com/events/5256-councilwoman-solange-whitehead-made-the-motion-on-which