Massachusetts Police Use AI-Powered License Plate Readers to Solve Crimes

Concerns over privacy and civil liberties remain as departments expand use of the technology

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Dozens of Massachusetts police departments are using AI-powered license plate readers to solve crimes faster, with some communities pushing back on the technology due to privacy concerns. The automated cameras have helped investigators track suspects in violent crimes and increase the rate of solved hit-and-run cases, but legal experts have questioned the constitutional implications of expanding surveillance networks.

Why it matters

The use of AI-powered license plate readers by police departments raises important questions about the balance between public safety and civil liberties. While the technology has proven effective in solving crimes, there are concerns about data collection, management, and potential misuse that need to be addressed.

The details

Flock Safety technology is currently active in more than 80 cities and towns across Massachusetts. The automated cameras monitor passing vehicles around the clock and have helped investigators solve motor vehicle hit-and-runs at a rate four times higher than the national average. The readers have also been used to track suspects in violent crimes such as shootings, stabbings, and sexual assaults. However, several municipalities have pulled back on using the technology due to privacy concerns, and legal experts have questioned the constitutional implications of the expanding surveillance networks.

  • In 2020, the Quincy Police Department installed approximately 50 Flock Safety cameras.
  • In January 2026, a federal judge in Norfolk, VA, sided with the city in a lawsuit, determining that the cameras did not violate Fourth Amendment rights.

The players

Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy

The Quincy Police Chief has credited the Flock Safety cameras with a significant increase in solved cases involving drivers who flee the scene of an accident.

Dan Haley

The chief legal officer for Flock Safety, described how the system helped investigators track a suspect in a shooting at Brown University.

Dan Dolan

A professor at the New England School of Law and a criminal defense lawyer, who has questioned the constitutional implications of expanding surveillance networks.

Michael Bradley

The executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, who has been working with departments to balance safety with civil liberties.

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What they’re saying

“Shootings, stabbings, homicides, attempted murders, kidnappings, sexual assaults, we've been able to track people because of this ALPR technology.”

— Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy (Boston 25 News)

“We were literally able to query the images from their system for that vehicle and identify the vehicle very quickly and then they added it to what's called a hot list and were able to determine that the vehicle had left Massachusetts.”

— Dan Haley, Chief Legal Officer, Flock Safety (Boston 25 News)

“There's this argument that the fighting of crime is a good reason to have the license plate readers. And it can help solve crimes. But from a constitutional perspective, that sounds like you're saying that the ends justify the means.”

— Dan Dolan, Professor, New England School of Law (Boston 25 News)

What’s next

A bill currently gaining traction at the State House would regulate the technology and prohibit agencies from disclosing data unless required by a judicial proceeding. The legislation also aims to ensure the cameras are not used to track activity protected by the First Amendment.

The takeaway

The use of AI-powered license plate readers by police departments in Massachusetts highlights the ongoing tension between public safety and civil liberties. While the technology has proven effective in solving crimes, it raises concerns about data collection, management, and potential misuse that need to be carefully addressed through legislation and policy.