# Cottonwood Cancels ALPR Contract with Flock Safety

The City of Cottonwood, Arizona, has decided to cancel its contract with Flock Safety for automated license plate readers (ALPRs) as of September 2026, following community concerns regarding privacy, data misuse, and surveillance. Despite this cancellation, the Cottonwood Police Department will maintain its existing drone contract with Flock Safety but plans to enhance transparency and address data sharing policies with the community. This development underscores the critical role of community engagement and data governance in public safety technology procurements, particularly for surveillance-related systems.

- Procurement professionals should note the increasing importance of privacy and data policy considerations in public safety technology contracts, which can impact contract continuity and vendor relationships.
- Vendors offering surveillance technologies may need to prioritize transparent data handling and community communication strategies to maintain and secure contracts.
- Agencies should evaluate community sentiment and incorporate clear data governance frameworks when procuring ALPR and drone technologies to mitigate risks of contract cancellations.
- This case highlights the potential for contract adjustments post-award based on public feedback, emphasizing the need for flexible procurement and contract management approaches.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Public Safety
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 24, 2026

### Government Entities
- Cottonwood Police Department
- Cottonwood City Council

### Vendors
- Flock Safety (contractor)

### Key Quotes
> We can control our policies. We can control our auditing. We can control our officers, but we cant necessarily control officers in other areas, so this is a concern that I totally get.
> — Brian Freudenthal, Police Chief

### Sources
- [Cottonwood to cancel Flock contract | News | verdenews.com](https://www.verdenews.com/news/cottonwood-to-cancel-flock-contract/article_1e70448e-7074-4e85-8f76-a693d3089cf8.html) - The Verde Independent