Antonio "Tony" Teixeira is an independent member of the Bristol, Rhode Island, Town Council, first elected in 2018. 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 councilor (I) running for reelection
Statement summary
Bristol Town Councilor Tony Teixeira said he voted for the Flock camera and would do it again, citing police searches for missing or abducted people, and said it is one camera at the bridge approved with parameters.
“I voted in favor, and I would do it again. As my colleague Nathan Calouro already mentioned, “How many of us have children? How many of us have family members that have dementia and so forth?” If they leave your house, you cannot find them, and they are abducted, or they get into a situation where they get injured, hurt, or killed, does the police department have the tools that they need to pursue or do the search? We’re missing that. We approved one camera at the bridge, not in town. There’s a big difference between having an eye on you versus an eye on the bridge, which keeps the flow and can assist, whether it’s the local or the state police. So I support that, although it was already mentioned, we set parameters. We didn’t just approve it outright.”
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Teixeira says he voted for the camera and would do it again, citing searches for missing or abducted people. He notes the council set parameters, but his support does not depend on a further condition, 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
