Result update
Ordinance pending — proposed ordinance scheduled for Dec 1, 2026 council meeting.
Last updated Oct 16, 2026
Scottsdale, AZ: Council keeps 85 Flock cameras, orders safeguards ordinance for Dec 1
On Oct. 6, 2026, the Scottsdale City Council voted to keep its Flock license plate readers in place for now and directed staff to draft an ordinance implementing "safeguards" for the system — including criminal penalties for misuse. The proposed ordinance will not be considered until the Dec. 1, 2026 council meeting.
What the Oct 6 motion directed
The motion approved on Oct. 6 called for:
- An independent audit of the city's ALPR use
- A review of data retention and access policies
- A public website explaining the city's use of the system
- Evaluation of alternative vendors
- A review of the Flock contract, which ends June 2028
Staff are to draft an ordinance with safeguards and criminal penalties for misuse, to be presented at the Dec. 1 meeting.
About the cameras
Scottsdale has 85 ALPR cameras citywide. The city has used ALPR technology since 2008; the current Flock system began in February 2023. Data is held for 185 days unless it is part of an active investigation.
Police Chief Joe LeDuc called ALPRs an "important public safety tool," said the department does not use facial recognition, and stated that audits found "zero" misuse — while acknowledging the technology can be misused. Mayor Lisa Borowsky acknowledged in a September interview that residents are "overwhelmingly" against the cameras.
Arizona context
Misuse reports have emerged in Apache Junction, Chandler, and Goodyear. Chandler and other Valley communities ended their use of Flock cameras, while Apache Junction and Goodyear continue to operate them.
Scottsdale's 185-day retention period is notably longer than the 30-day policies cited by many other cities. The Oct. 6 motion called for a review of data retention and access policies as part of the broader safeguards process.
What is not yet known
The specific language of the proposed safeguards ordinance has not been published as of Oct. 16, 2026. It is not yet known what criminal penalties would be proposed, how the independent audit would be structured, or whether the vendor evaluation could affect the Flock contract before it expires in June 2028.
What happens next
Staff will draft the safeguards ordinance for presentation at the Dec. 1, 2026 council meeting. The independent audit, public website, vendor evaluation, and contract review were called for in the Oct. 6 motion. The Flock contract runs through June 2028.
This page will be updated when the Dec. 1 ordinance is published and after the council acts. You can browse camera locations reported in Scottsdale on the Flock Locations map or see all cities with reported cameras.
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Frequently asked questions
Did Scottsdale vote to remove its Flock cameras on Oct 6?
No. The council voted to keep the cameras in place for now and directed staff to draft a safeguards ordinance with criminal penalties for misuse, to be considered at the Dec. 1 meeting.
How long does Scottsdale keep Flock data?
185 days, unless the data is part of an active investigation. This is longer than the 30-day retention period cited by many other cities. The Oct. 6 motion called for a review of data retention and access policies.
When does Scottsdale's Flock contract expire?
June 2028. The Oct. 6 motion directed staff to review the contract as part of the broader safeguards process.
What happened in nearby Arizona cities?
Misuse reports emerged in Apache Junction, Chandler, and Goodyear. Chandler and other Valley communities ended their use of Flock cameras. Apache Junction and Goodyear continue to operate them.