A Statement from Billerica Police Chief Roy Frost Regarding Flock Safety Cameras

BILLERICA — The following is a statement from Billerica Police Chief Roy Frost regarding Flock Safety cameras in the Town of Billerica.

To the Billerica community,

I’d like to take this opportunity to address the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) by the Billerica Police Department, and in particular our usage of Flock Security cameras.

ALPRs have been in use in Massachusetts for well over a decade now, and are used both for law enforcement and for collecting tolls on Massachusetts highways.

In 2023, Billerica Police began exploring their use as major advancements in the technology caught my attention. Billerica Police obtained grant funding to purchase six Flock Security cameras in 2024. I presented the technology to the Billerica Select Board, and addressed what it does and does not do, before the cameras were deployed in 2024. The department purchased three more cameras in early 2026 due to the success of other cameras.

ALPRs and Flock Security log still images of passing vehicles and their license plates. The system does not track the publics’ movements, conduct facial recognition, query personal information, monitor vehicle operation or conduct traffic enforcement (i.e., speed, red light violations, marked lanes, etc). The images are encrypted, and the data cannot be shared with anyone without the consent of Billerica Police, which owns all the data.

Billerica Police limit usage of Billerica’s Flock Security cameras to a limited number of Massachusetts local law enforcement agencies within close proximity of Billerica, and we limit those departments to using Billerica data only when they have a specific reason for needing the data.

Billerica Police do not share Flock Security data with any federal agencies, and our policy specifically prohibits the technology from being used in immigration enforcement investigations.

We conduct weekly audits of our system to ensure that all users have a valid reason for conducting searches, as outlined in our Flock policy, which can be viewed online at BillericaPolice.org/Policies. We treat this data with the same care and security as physical evidence or computerized police records.

Any violation of this policy would result in an immediate suspension of that user’s access and result in an internal investigation that could lead to potential discipline.
Recently, in response to community concerns and misconduct elsewhere in the country, we further tightened the use of our Flock Security cameras to a limited number of supervisors and detectives within the department. Every use of the system is logged and must be justified.

We work both internally and with Flock Security to maintain the security of our data. All of our data is encrypted, and accessible by only select supervisors and detectives who must use two-factor authentication to access any data.
All vehicle images that are not related to a legitimate query are deleted within seven days.

I want to emphasize to all the citizens of Billerica, including those who are emphatically opposed to any use of ALPRs by Public Safety, that I take the concerns about individual privacy and information security seriously. The use of new and emerging technologies must be balanced very carefully against government overreach and abuse of power.

As both a citizen and a public safety professional, I am keenly aware that one of the greatest privileges of being in the United States of America is our freedom to exist without unreasonable government oversight. Time and again, the freedoms guaranteed to us through our state and federal constitutions have been interpreted through our highest courts to confirm that privacy rights are at the core of our Founder’s principles for self-government. As such, it is incumbent on our leaders to ensure that the balancing of privacy versus the challenges of community safety and security be constantly evaluated to insure this delicate relationship is not breached.
In closing, I want to thank the community for its trust in their police department. I pledge to continue to review this program throughout my tenure to ensure that all measures are taken to verify that Billerica Police continue to responsibly evaluate the safety, security and value of this and every public safety tool being used by officers.

I am also including the following list of select successful uses of Flock Security by the Billerica Police Department. We have used Flock Security to successfully investigate over 50 criminal cases since 2024.

2024:

Package theft suspect identified and charged.
Suspect in road rage with a firearm identified.
August, 2024: Breaking and entering suspect identified and charged.
Stolen vehicle recovered.
Suicidal woman located.
Check fraud suspect identified and charged.
Hit and run suspect identified and charged.
Road rage suspect identified and charged.
Missing elderly female located.
Stolen vehicle recovered.
Larceny suspect identified and charged.

2025:

Package theft suspect identified and charged.
Breaking and entering suspect identified and charged.
Stolen motor vehicle recovered and suspect charged.
Motor vehicle hit and run suspect identified and charged.
Illegal dumping suspect identified.
Fraud suspect identified and charged
Armed Home invasion and attempted kidnapping of a child suspect identified and charged.
Vehicle of individual in mental health crisis located.
Larceny and hit and run suspect identified and charged.
Aggravated assault suspect identified and charged.
Road rage suspect identified.
Hit and run suspect who struck a juvenile identified and charged.
Fraud suspect identified and charged.
Commercial breaking and entering suspect identified and charged.
Missing elderly woman located.
Hit and run suspect identified and charged.
Restraining order violation suspect identified and violation documented.
Commercial breaking and entering suspect identified and charged.