Dedham does not own, operate or contract for any automated license plate recognition cameras, Town Manager Leon I. Goodwin confirmed Tuesday, Aug. 25, in a public statement responding to resident questions.

The clarification, posted on the town's website, addressed questions the town received in recent days about surveillance camera technology in Dedham. Goodwin's message was direct: the town has no relationship with Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based company whose cameras are deployed in thousands of law enforcement agencies nationwide, and uses no ALPR technology of any kind.

Goodwin also laid out what would need to happen before Dedham could adopt the technology. The Police Department would first have to develop a formal policy covering permitted uses, data management, storage and access requirements. That policy would require review by legal counsel and approval from the Select Board.

The statement did not identify what specifically triggered the community questions.

Statewide debate provides backdrop

Dedham's clarification comes as ALPR cameras have become a flashpoint across Massachusetts. At least 80 police departments in the state have contracts with Flock Safety, according to the ACLU of Massachusetts. The state has no law governing police use of the technology.

Nearby Waltham contracted with Flock Safety in fall 2025 to install 16 cameras under a two-year, $96,000 agreement, the Waltham Times reported in June. That department purchased the cameras with seized court funds, bypassing City Council approval.

"Before we go using government surveillance, you really need to make sure that it's absolutely necessary and all safeguards possible are in place," Waltham Ward 9 City Councilor Robert G. Logan said in June, when his city's Flock contract drew public scrutiny.

Meanwhile, at least 30 localities nationwide, including Cambridge, had deactivated or canceled Flock contracts as of February 2026, according to NPR. State Rep. Steven Owens, D-Watertown, has filed legislation that would limit ALPR data retention to 14 days and require legal authorization for many searches.

What it means for Dedham

Goodwin's statement means any future ALPR proposal in Dedham would go through a public process with Select Board oversight, unlike some communities where police departments have adopted the technology without elected-body approval.

Residents with questions can contact Director of Communications Amanda Smith at [email protected] or subscribe to Select Board agendas on the town website.