Nathan Calouro is an independent member of the Bristol, Rhode Island, Town Council, first elected in 2012, and is its chairman. He is running for reelection in 2026.
Case
Networked automated license-plate cameras can assemble searchable records of vehicle movements. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to ban the systems, keep them with limits, or defend them as investigative tools. This tracker separates outright bans from narrower restrictions.
Role at the time: Bristol Town Council chairman (I) running for reelection
Statement summary
Bristol Town Council Chairman Nathan Calouro said the Flock camera makes sense if it helps police find and bring back abducted family members, and said Bristol adopted an ordinance and police policy for it.
“Flock Camera is a hot issue. As I said at one of the meetings, if my family was abducted and this allows the police department to find them and bring them back, then it makes sense to me. We are the only community that I’m aware of, and I’m happy to be educated otherwise, that took efforts to put in an ordinance, that took efforts to put in a policy with the police department. I’m not aware of another community that did that. I’d also like to be clear and say that I would fully support state legislation on this, but that hasn’t come to us yet. Bristol has never been in a place to wait for somebody else to decide to ensure the people of Bristol are safe, and that’s what we’re doing.”
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Calouro supports the camera because it could help police find abducted family members and points to the ordinance and police policy Bristol adopted. He supports state legislation but sets no condition on the current camera, so Defended or excused fits.
Statement dates: September 24, 2026
Statement dates: September 24, 2026
Statement dates: September 24, 2026
Statement dates: September 24, 2026
