City Council - 8/18/2026

The City Council meeting of Oklahoma City on August 18, 2026, included a significant and detailed discussion regarding the renewal of the contract with Flock Safety, a private company providing automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology. The meeting featured presentations by city officials explaining the use, privacy safeguards, and legal compliance of the ALPR system, including recent contract amendments to enhance data privacy and limit data sharing. However, a large number of residents and advocacy groups spoke in opposition, raising concerns about privacy violations, potential misuse of data, inaccuracies leading to wrongful stops, and the broader implications of mass surveillance. The council debated the balance between public safety benefits and civil liberties, with some members expressing support for the contract renewal and others urging its termination. Additionally, the meeting covered various other agenda items including appointments to boards and commissions, approval of claims and payroll, rezoning ordinances, and a presentation on a $15.5 million capital improvement project for neighborhood and community parks funded partly by 2017 bond money. Motions related to these items were passed unanimously. The extensive public input on the Flock Safety contract highlighted community concerns about surveillance technology and data privacy, signaling potential impacts on future procurement and policy decisions regarding surveillance and public safety technology in Oklahoma City.