Boston officials pushing for stricter rules on police surveillance technology

BOSTON (WHDH) - A Boston city councilor is making a push to tighten the rules about surveillance technology being used by the Boston Police Department.

Councilor Ben Weber said the current surveillance ordinance, which was adopted in 2022, does not require the police to notify the council if they switch companies that monitor license plates. It comes after several communities in Massachusetts have ended their partnership with Flock over privacy concerns.

“Now is the time to take a look at that, given what we have seen over the last few years,” Weber said. “The city, while not using Flock, is using two other vendors, who have license plate readers that the city is using. Anecdotally I have heard that maybe those companies don’t have the same safeguards because they are not in the national media.”

The city council says Boston police have also used social media monitoring tools without proper notification. The new resolution would close loopholes, and ensure the public knows what surveillance technology Boston police have, and how they use it.

“The council and the public should have a clear understanding of what is being used, how it is being used, and what data is being collected, and who has access to that data,” said Boston City Councilor Gabriela Zapata.

7NEWS reached out to the Boston Police Department for comment, but has not yet heard back.

The proposal will now go to a committee for further review.