Barrington does not have Flock cameras. However, there was a Flock camera in Barrington. 

According to Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia, when the East Providence Police Department contracted with a company to install Flock cameras in that community, the company mistakenly installed one of the cameras on Barrington property along the Wampanoag Trail. The sign was located north of the “Welcome to Barrington” sign, but about 200 feet south of the town’s border with East Providence, he said.

Chief Correia said he spoke recently to East Providence Police Chief Michael Rapoza about the situation, and a work order was placed to relocate the Flock camera out of Barrington. 

“It’s going to be moved,” Chief Correia said, last week. “It was an inadvertent error.”

On Monday morning, Aug. 24, Chief Correia confirmed that crews had moved the Flock camera onto East Providence property late last week. 

Chief Correia said that the issue surfaced during a recent meeting with other Barrington officials, when someone asked about the camera on the Trail. Chief Correia said he had already noticed the camera and even wondered whether it was in Barrington or East Providence. 

“I saw it. It did strike me as being close,” he said, referring to its location near the town line. 

The ALPR cameras — automated license plate readers — have been under increased scrutiny recently. Some communities in Rhode Island that had held contracts with camera companies, such as Flock, have broken off the agreements following concerns about privacy and potential misuse of license plate readers. 

Chief Correia said Barrington does not have a contract with any ALPR companies, but the police department has been able to work with neighboring communities that do. He referenced a house break-in that occurred a few years ago in Barrington. Chief Correia said the department reached out to East Providence and Providence for data from those communities’ Flock cameras — that information, he said, was instrumental in helping the Barrington Police Department solve the case. 

Chief Correia said history has shown that house break-ins will continue to plague specific neighborhoods until law enforcement stops them. 

“People will work an area until they get caught,” Chief Correia said, adding that by using the Flock camera information, BPD was able to eliminate future house break-ins in that Barrington neighborhood. 

“It prevented further victimization,” Chief Correia said. 

More cameras

Chief Correia said the Rhode Island State Police had been looking for communities who were willing to partner with the agency in hosting Flock cameras. He said Bristol is one of the towns that signed on. He said Warren officials did not. 

The Rhode Island State Police did not ask Barrington to host any cameras, Chief Correia said. 

“If they had asked, I would have supported it,” he said. 

The chief said the automated license plate readers are extremely valuable in assisting law enforcement investigations. He offered a list of safeguards that are included with the systems, adding that the data from the cameras is only saved for 30 days unless it is flagged as part of an investigation. He said that requires the data be tied to a specific case number. He also said the data is not owned by Flock.

Chief Correia added: “But I fully respect and understand the public’s concerns.”

Meeting on Wednesday

Chief Correia, who also serves as president of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, said there will be a meeting on Wednesday focused on the automated license plate readers. He said the governor has requested a program pause and a review of the cameras. 

Chief Correia said officials are looking to establish a state model for the automated license plate readers. He added that officials want to work with the public, gather different perspectives. 

“I personally feel they’re effective,” Chief Correia said. 

“We feel there’s safeguards… We feel there’s a lot of misinformation out there.”

Chief Correia said members of the Barrington Police Department have requested the installation of license plate readers in town.

“It’s a great tool,” he said.