Surveillance technology oversight
FLOCK SAFETY cameras will be coming down but the need for accountability is going up
COHASSET CITIZEN's PETITION - October 2026
Ahead of the Cohasset Special Town Meeting on October 26, 2026, Invest in Cohasset proudly endorsed the "Surveillance Technology Oversight Bylaw" citizen's petition to regulate Flock Safety automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) and other mass surveillance technology. Town Meeting voted to "indefinitely postpone" the article but Town sentiment was with us.
During debate, the Cohasset Police Chief publicly declared that the 4 Flock Safety automatic license plate readers will be disabled, not renewed, and not immediately replaced with another vendor when the contract ends in November 2026. By debate's end, Town officials demonstrated a willingness to take on surveillance technology oversight policy after overwhelming demand from community members. We are taking this as enormous win!
During debate, the Cohasset Police Chief publicly declared that the 4 Flock Safety automatic license plate readers will be disabled, not renewed, and not immediately replaced with another vendor when the contract ends in November 2026. By debate's end, Town officials demonstrated a willingness to take on surveillance technology oversight policy after overwhelming demand from community members. We are taking this as enormous win!
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY OVERSIGHT
we are taking this as an
In the last 18 months, 25 Massachusetts municipalities (and counting) have canceled contracts for Flock Safety license plate readers citing civil liberty, privacy, and community trust concerns. For these reasons, Cohasset residents have been asking Town officials for meaningful engagement, transparency, and basic safeguards around government surveillance. Instead of working collaboratively at the onset with citizens who took initiative to bring this issue forward, we encountered resistance. Only now are we being told that collaboration and a carefully developed policy are the way forward.
If collaboration is truly the path forward, let it begin with an honest acknowledgement of how this process unfolded--and a commitment to transparent, substantive public engagement. "Disabling" the ALPRs does not resolve the underlying question of who gets to decide when the government deploys surveillance technology, what safeguards apply, and how residents are held accountable for decisions made in their name.
As Town officials intend to develop a surveillance technology oversight policy on their own terms, will residents have a genuine seat at the table, with their concerns taken seriously and their participation welcomed before decisions are made?
Big questions, worries, and uncertainty remain. We will be following along. And so should you.
If collaboration is truly the path forward, let it begin with an honest acknowledgement of how this process unfolded--and a commitment to transparent, substantive public engagement. "Disabling" the ALPRs does not resolve the underlying question of who gets to decide when the government deploys surveillance technology, what safeguards apply, and how residents are held accountable for decisions made in their name.
As Town officials intend to develop a surveillance technology oversight policy on their own terms, will residents have a genuine seat at the table, with their concerns taken seriously and their participation welcomed before decisions are made?
Big questions, worries, and uncertainty remain. We will be following along. And so should you.
enormous win!
citizen's petition October 2026
ACLU's
CCOPS
policy
bylaw inspiration
The Surveillance Technology Oversight Bylaw is modeled after the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) model ordinance. Adopted in 26 jurisdictions nationwide, including 7 communities in Massachusetts and counting. The ordinance aims to strengthen transparency, community buy-in, and data governance before deploying surveillance technology.
Leading up to Special Town Meeting, on October 15, 2026, the petitioner and supporters hosted an in-person conversation with ACLU Technology for Liberty Policy Counsel, Gideon Epstein, to discuss the citizen's petition, surveillance and civil liberties, artificial intelligence, and data privacy.
Leading up to Special Town Meeting, on October 15, 2026, the petitioner and supporters hosted an in-person conversation with ACLU Technology for Liberty Policy Counsel, Gideon Epstein, to discuss the citizen's petition, surveillance and civil liberties, artificial intelligence, and data privacy.
ACLU's CCOPS
policy
This citizen petition is NOT a ban on a specific surveillance technology or vendor. This is NOT a ban on Cohasset's automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) supplied by Flock Safety.
Instead, it takes a broad view to include oversight over various surveillance technologies capable of collecting, capturing, recording, retaining, analyzing, processing, intercepting, monitoring, and sharing location, movement, and biometric data.
Examples of the types of Surveillance Technology to be regulated by this proposed bylaw can include:
Instead, it takes a broad view to include oversight over various surveillance technologies capable of collecting, capturing, recording, retaining, analyzing, processing, intercepting, monitoring, and sharing location, movement, and biometric data.
Examples of the types of Surveillance Technology to be regulated by this proposed bylaw can include:
- Automatic license plate readers (ALPRs)
- Cell site simulators
- Gunshot detection systems
- Surveillance enabled light bulbs and fixtures
- Social media monitoring software
technology
covered
key definition
authorization process
democracy in action
Clear data management safeguards protect privavcy. Here are some examples required by this proposed bylaw:
sound data
governance
PROTECTING PRIVACY
- Limited data retention
- Data access is allowed by authorized personnel for specific purposes--not general browsing
- No unauthorized data sharing with federal, state, or local agencies unless disclosed and approved
- Tamper -evident audit logs of access and use are made available for public inspection
- Contracts with vendors must: prohibit the vendor from using, sharing, selling, or retaining data; require data to be deleted or returned upon contract termination; refrain from using Cohasset's data in commercial or product development purposes; and be limited to 1-year contracts
Stay connected, engaged, and up-to-date on the latest updates and announcements as they drop.
@investincohasset
follow along