Active
Who approved this?
Approved by Johnston City Council.
The Des Moines Register reported that the Johnston City Council approved an agreement with Flock Group Inc. for 11 solar-powered cameras at gateway areas of the city, under a 3-year contract costing 109,500 dollars. The article says Johnston had also approved an agreement with Flock the year before. Bleeding Heartland reported on July 17, 2025, citing the department's 2024 yearly Flock usage report, that Johnston had 11 Flock cameras operating and planned 16 in 2025. The Iowa Department of Public Safety list of FY26 Byrne JAG grantees shows the Johnston Police Department receiving 17,250 dollars for an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Program; that list does not name a vendor. None of the documents gives the council vote tally.
Renewal date pending
The contract end date has not yet been confirmed from records.
The money
- Contract amount: $109,500
- Cameras: 11
- Contract amount per camera: $9,955 (about $3,318 a year)
- Term: 36 months
What happens next
Renewals are decided in public. Residents can attend the meeting, speak during public comment, and write to the office above through official channels. The ACLU publishes a model cancellation resolution officials can adapt.
Sources
- Des Moines Register via AOL: Johnston City Council approves a 3-year, 109,500 dollar agreement with Flock Group Inc. for 11 cameras aol.com
- Bleeding Heartland: Johnston Police Department 2024 Flock usage report shows 11 cameras (July 17, 2025) bleedingheartland.com
- Iowa Department of Public Safety: FY26 JAG grantees, Johnston Police Department ALPR Program, 17,250 dollars dps.iowa.gov
Last verified: September 23, 2026. Something wrong? Request a correction.
The record
Johnston City Council approved the contract; the sources give no date. The path was a council vote. Johnston Police Department runs the cameras.
The documented amount is $109,500. It covers 3 years. The network counts 11 cameras. That comes to about $9,955 per camera.
The agreement remains in force.
3 sources back this record; each is listed with its date under Sources. Last verified September 23, 2026. Every Iowa record is listed on the Iowa hub; the tracker lists all of them.
Cite this record
Who Approved This, "Johnston, IA Flock Contract," whoapprovedthis.org, accessed October 8, 2026, https://whoapprovedthis.org/city/ia-johnston/.
Related
Read on
- Marshalltown, IA Active
- Clarke County, IA Canceled
- Waukee, IA Canceled
- Camera locations near Johnston: DeFlock (external, crowdsourced)
- Agency transparency portal, if published: transparency.flocksafety.com; aggregated at Eyes on Flock