Malden City Council Reviews Flock Cameras As Police Address Privacy Concerns

MALDEN, MA — The police department is responding to concerns about how information collected by its license plate reading cameras is shared and used following a recent City Council review of the program.

The discussion came during the Council’s Tuesday, Oct. 13, Committee of the Whole meeting, which included a presentation by Chief Marc Gatcomb and Detective Steve Mulcahy. The department’s briefing materials outlined camera locations, data retention policies, sharing restrictions, and internal oversight. The meeting agenda called for a comprehensive review of the Flock Safety program, including contracts, renewals, purchase orders, policies, and related agreements.

The department’s presentation listed 11 fixed camera locations throughout Malden, along with a 12th flex camera that had not been deployed. Police described the system as an investigative tool that captures images of vehicles traveling on public roads, including their make, model, color, and rear license plate.

In a statement following the meeting, the department addressed questions about whether Malden Police could regulate how other law enforcement agencies use information obtained through its cameras. Police said they can restrict access to Malden’s information but cannot directly control another department’s internal policies or practices.

“While we can establish restrictions on access to our camera data, we also expect our law enforcement partners to use this technology responsibly, just as we expect of ourselves,” the department said.

Police said each search generates a digital audit trail identifying the user, providing a record that can be reviewed if questions or investigative needs arise. The department also receives records identifying users who conducted searches involving its shared information.

The presentation said search logs identify the user, access time, and reason for the search. The Criminal Investigation Division captain or a designee serves as the program’s administrator, while department policy assigns weekly audits to the division commander. The policy is reviewed annually.

Malden limits routine information stored by the vendor to no more than seven days. Information preserved as evidence for a legitimate law enforcement purpose may be retained through a case’s final disposition. The presentation also said Malden restricts sharing to agencies within Massachusetts and does not share its license plate reader information with federal agencies.

Police described the cameras as capturing individual images of vehicles rather than continuously tracking their movements. According to the presentation, the system does not use facial recognition, allow searches for people or clothing, or automatically generate traffic enforcement tickets.

The briefing materials included a planned demonstration showing how investigators could search for a vehicle following a residential burglary. The scenario involved a fleeing black Ford SUV, a partial license plate and a specific time window. The materials also called for Mulcahy to demonstrate the department’s public transparency portal, which police said displays the Massachusetts agencies with which Malden shares information.

The review followed a resolution sponsored by Councilors Karen Colón Hayes and Ryan O’Malley that passed unanimously Sept. 8. The resolution sought a closer examination of the program’s costs, contract terms, renewal provisions, data retention policies, information sharing practices, security safeguards, oversight requirements and complaint procedures.

During the September meeting, residents submitted concerns about privacy, immigration enforcement and the potential misuse of information, including stalking. O’Malley questioned the city’s ability to control how other users handle shared information, while Councilor Chris Simonelli expressed support for cameras as a public safety tool when used legally and appropriately.

Gatcomb defended the program’s investigative value during that earlier discussion, citing assistance in a Kennedy Drive homicide investigation, a shooting at Overlook Ridge, the identification of a suspect in a series of indecent exposure incidents in Malden Square and the search for a missing older adult in Marblehead. He also described restrictions preventing patrol officers from conducting arbitrary searches from cruiser computers and requiring documented justification and supervisor or detective authorization.

In its statement following the October meeting, the department acknowledged concerns about the potential misuse of sensitive information and said it has a responsibility to ensure the technology serves a legitimate law enforcement purpose and respects the community.

“Modern policing requires us to adapt, and technology is part of that,” the department said. “But with new technology comes responsibility, and sometimes legitimate concerns.”

Police said they hoped the presentation provided clarity while recognizing that some residents may still have questions.

“Public trust isn't something we should expect simply because we wear a uniform,” the department said. “It's something we have to continue earning through our actions, our accountability, and our willingness to have these conversations.”

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