On October 10, Avula announced that Richmond would not renew its contract with Flock Safety, following a similar decision by Henrico County, whose contract expires in November. Richmond’s agreement runs through June 30, 2027.
Mayor Avula raised the possibility of a Virginia-only network during a press conference earlier this week. “If there were a company that was not a big national company, if there was a closed network for the state of Virginia, where we could build our own guidelines and manage our own data, would that change things for members of our public?” Avula said according to VPM. “It certainly would for me.”
The city has not selected a replacement for Flock but Avula acknowledged that license plate readers can help police solve crimes and the city needs to balance those benefits against residents’ privacy concerns.
“I want to make sure that we’re using that time to listen well, to make thoughtful, community-informed decisions about the future of this technology,” Avula said. “And I also want to be clear with the public about what has changed for me. One, the significant expansion of community concern and two, the decision by our regional partners that affect how useful the technology can be to us.”
Richmond currently operates 99 fixed automated license plate readers, which photograph passing vehicles and record information that police can search during investigations. The city’s Flock contract costs approximately $285,000.
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards defended the technology during the October 13 briefing, saying the department relies on license plate readers in investigations ranging from misdemeanors and missing children to homicides.
“I think while we’re going to continue to fight crime the best way we can, there’s no doubt that this is a powerful tool that we will notice the loss when and if we lose it,” Edwards said.
Edwards said the cameras help detectives identify suspects, gather evidence and reduce the need to call witnesses into court.
“We use technology, whether it’s cameras or ALPR, we’re avoiding the average Richmonder who doesn’t want to have to come to the John Marshall Court Building and point out killers,” Edwards said, according to WTVR. “I’ve done that too as a homicide detective. I’ve always felt guilty about that, handing subpoenas to little old ladies so they can point out murders.”
During the briefing, police presented examples of investigations in which license plate readers assisted officers in 2026, including serial stabbings, a stolen vehicle and child abduction, the apprehension of a double-homicide suspect and two fatal pedestrian hit-and-runs.
Edwards said the department would prefer to retain the technology with safeguards addressing the concerns raised by residents.
“If we tailor it to that, I think we can find that happy medium between the concerns of our community and the very real ability for this technology to keep our communities safe,” Edwards said, referring to using license plate readers for serious crimes and locating vulnerable missing people.
Richmond has implemented additional restrictions on its Flock network to address community concerns. The department reduced data retention from 21 days to seven days. Edwards also temporarily revoked access for approximately 150 department personnel before requiring them to sign agreements outlining the rules governing its use.
Even with that Edwards acknowledged the potential misuse of license plate reader technology for personal reasons with Richmond experiencing violations involving its own system
In April 2026, the department announced that a sergeant had improperly shared Flock data with an FBI agent investigating a homicide in Washington, D.C., violating department policy restricting access by federal agencies outside Virginia. The sergeant’s access to the system was revoked following an internal investigation.
In a separate incident in 2025, an ATF analyst used Richmond’s Flock system for immigration-related investigations, also violating department policy. The analyst’s access was subsequently terminated, and Richmond Police restricted federal agencies from directly accessing its license plate reader system.
Edwards said the department has procedures to identify improper access and pledged to disclose future violations.
“We have ways to address that at RPD. Should we run into that, there’s ways to catch it. And what I promise to the community is, if that happens, I’ll be transparent,” Edwards said.
Avula also expressed concerns about the potential use of license plate reader data for federal immigration enforcement.
“Particularly as an immigrant, as I’ve heard stories about how immigrants have been terrorized, as I’ve seen the role that ICE has played here in our local community, I think at the national level the concern that that data might be used, shared in a way that’s not helpful, deeply concerns me,” Avula said, according to The Richmonder.
Richmond’s options may also depend on what happens in the Virginia General Assembly next year.
Lawmakers are expected to take up the issue during the 2027 session, with some pushing to prohibit automated license plate readers statewide and others seeking stricter rules governing their use and consequences for violations. Gov. Abigail Spanberger has described a blanket ban as “overly simplistic.”
Avula said the city will use the remaining months of its Flock contract to gather feedback from residents, including those concerned about surveillance and those living in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by violent crime.
“We’ve heard from many residents at city council meetings and those voices certainly matter, but we also need to hear from the people whose lives have been disproportionately impacted by crime and who may not be showing up at those meetings,” Avula told 12 On Your Side.
The mayor’s decision applies only to Flock’s automated license plate readers. Richmond’s separate gunshot detection system, also provided by Flock Safety, will remain in operation. City officials have not announced a timeline for selecting a replacement system.
“I often talk about how, as a public health physician, every one of these decisions is looking at the risks versus the benefits and figuring out how do we balance those well and ultimately make sure that we’re providing a good benefit to our community,” Avula said.
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