Wichita City Council Workshop October 27, 2026 - FLOCK Presentation

At the October 27, 2026, City of Wichita Council workshop, police officials presented on the department’s automated license plate reader (ALPR) program and Deputy City Attorney Steven Smart outlined a proposed extension of the city’s Flock contract. The city has contracted with Flock since 2021 under a five-year base agreement, with additional services added through separate agreements; a six-month extension was approved earlier in the year. Staff said a further six-month extension, on the existing terms and consolidating services for payment purposes, would continue the agreement through March 31, 2027. It was expected to appear as a Board of Bids item the following week. No vote or dollar amount for the proposed extension was stated in the transcript; a broader review of contract terms was anticipated in March 2027.

Discussion covered ALPR use and safeguards, including 30-day data retention, internal compliance audits, a public activity dashboard, and supervisor approval to enter a plate into the system. Council members raised concerns about data sharing, community oversight, and alternatives such as Axon’s readers; staff deferred some questions because of pending litigation and said further information would be provided for the March discussion. Police described the cameras as investigative tools and said they are distributed at high-traffic locations across the city. No other procurement action was identified.