The Cop Who Took On Flock
After Noel Pichardo called out his city's embrace of Flock surveillance cameras, he was subjected to five internal affairs investigations in less than two years.
Officer Pichardo, 28 years old and a veteran in his field, found himself investigating a peculiar situation one afternoon in Pawtucket. Alone in his patrol car, he was untainted by the usual flood of calls demanding his attention. Armed with a compact, solar-powered camera, Pichardo set out to explore the area under the cover of night, seeking out any hidden surveillance equipment.
For days, he diligently searched for these devices, discovering them repeatedly across various locations. As he circled the district, his suspicions grew stronger. Back in 2021, Pawtucket had been one of the cities piloting Flock Safety's vehicle-surveillance system, a network of cameras designed to track cars and their owners. The system promised to be a powerful tool for recovering stolen vehicles, locating suspects, and uncovering important information about a person's daily life.
However, Pichardo couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss with the installation of these cameras. He had heard about the controversy surrounding the system, with concerns raised about privacy and the potential for misuse. Despite his initial thoughts, Pichardo put the matter aside, assuming that the project would ultimately be abandoned due to budget constraints.
But, to his surprise, just months later, in September 2023, the city announced a two-year deployment of 20 cameras along its busiest roads. Pichardo couldn't help but question how the decision had been made so quickly. As he probed for answers, he found himself on a collision course with his own career.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
