Top Stories· August 18, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
Rhode Island Police Officer Raises Concerns Over Expansion of Surveillance System
Key takeaways
- Rhode Island police officer raises concerns over expansion of vehicle surveillance system
- Pawtucket moves forward with a two-year deployment worth $128,000 despite previous reports of no installation
- Officer Noel Pichardo's questions about approval process could potentially end his career
A Rhode Island police officer, Noel Pichardo, has raised concerns over the expansion of a vehicle surveillance system in Pawtucket. Pichardo noticed cameras from Flock Safety, a company that markets its platform as the nation's largest fixed license-plate-reader network, all over his district. In 2021, a free 60-day pilot was conducted in Pawtucket, Cranston, and Woonsocket, but the local TV news reported that Pawtucket was not moving forward with the installation. However, records show that Pawtucket moved forward with a two-year deployment worth $128,000 in September 2023, planning to install 20 cameras along busy roads. Pichardo's questions about the approval process and concerns about privacy have set off a chain of events that could potentially end his career in law enforcement.
