Cohasset officials are considering a new town-wide surveillance and data protection policy as the town prepares to remove its Flock automated license plate readers following a contentious debate over privacy and public safety.
At its November 5 meeting, the Select Board discussed establishing a working group to develop guidelines for surveillance technology after voters at the October 26 Special Town Meeting indefinitely postponed a citizen-proposed surveillance bylaw. Board members generally supported exploring a policy that would address residents' privacy concerns while allowing police and other municipal departments to carry out their responsibilities.
The discussion comes as Cohasset prepares to end its contract with Flock Safety. Select Board Chair David Farrag, who presided over the meeting, said Police Chief Quigley has committed to terminating the town's use of the automated license plate readers, with the cameras scheduled for removal when the contract expires in November. There are currently no plans to replace them.
"The immediate removal of the flock cameras solves a single localized dispute, but it does not create a comprehensive framework for the future," Farrag said.
Farrag proposed establishing a working group that could include municipal officials, technology and legal experts, law enforcement representatives and residents involved in the citizen petition. The group would develop recommendations addressing public disclosure, data retention, oversight and guidelines for purchasing future surveillance technology.
Select Board member Will Ashton suggested using the revised language from the citizen petition as a starting point. Ellen Maher, Select Board Vice Chair, however, cautioned against beginning with the full 12-page proposal, recommending that a smaller working group examine policies adopted by other communities.
Maher suggested the group include Police Chief Quigley, town information technology staff, a Select Board representative and potentially an Advisory Committee member. She also suggested that school surveillance policies might warrant separate consideration because the schools already have their own technology and security procedures.
Select Board member Greg Watts emphasized the importance of public participation and consultation with municipal departments, including schools, before adopting new rules. He said any policy should protect residents' privacy without interfering with essential town operations.
"I do think though we need to follow a typical rulemaking procedure here and solicit comments on what our ideas are," Watts said. "I would love to get feedback from the police, from the schools on what is workable for both of them as well as the rest of the town to make sure that whatever policy we put in place makes sense and it's workable both in protecting privacy for citizens, but also ensuring operations of the police and the schools that go relatively unscathed."
Board member Paul Grady said the town should begin by consulting public safety officials, particularly the police chief, to understand what measures are needed to protect residents.
Farrag expressed a preference for adopting a policy rather than another bylaw, arguing that a policy could be updated more quickly as technology changes. He also anticipated that Massachusetts lawmakers could consider legislation addressing surveillance technology during the next legislative session.
The board also discussed what should happen if Flock Safety does not physically remove the cameras by the end of its contract.
Farrag suggested that the town's Department of Public Works could remove the equipment if the company failed to do so on schedule. He expressed concern that Cohasset could face delays because other communities are also seeking camera removals.
Maher asked whether the cameras could instead be turned off or covered while awaiting removal. Town Manager Michelle Leary said Flock had asked the town not to remove the equipment itself. She indicated that covering the cameras was an option to prevent them from functioning while the town awaited their removal.
The board did not vote to authorize the town to remove or cover the cameras during the meeting. Officials also did not establish a specific removal date beyond the November contract expiration.
Although members expressed support for developing a surveillance policy, the Select Board did not formally establish a working group or determine its membership. Farrag suggested returning to the issue at an upcoming meeting to consider the group's responsibilities and who should participate.
Leary said she had not discussed the proposed bylaw specifically with Quigley since the Special Town Meeting. She agreed to consult with him about the next steps and report back to the board at its next meeting.
The Select Board's next scheduled meeting is November 10, when officials are also expected to participate in the town's first budget summit.