Sanford, ME Flock Contract

Who approved this?

Approved 3-3 by City Council on September 16, 2025.

Sanford City Council passed order 25-296-01 on September 16, 2025, approving a 60-day free trial of the Flock camera system and authorizing the Police Chief to look into funding options for continuation beyond the trial. The agenda packet records Deputy Mayor Herlihy's motion, seconded by Councilor Stackpole, passing 4-3 with Councilors Tranchemontagne, Hitchcock and Martell opposed. 5 of the 7 votes are named in the packet; the 2 remaining yes votes are not, so the roll call lists the 5 named. 6 cameras were to go at the Sanford rotary and downtown intersections, with data kept in the cloud, restricted to the Sanford Police Department and deleted after 21 days unless kept for an investigation. On October 7, 2025 the council reversed itself and voted 5-0 to cancel the approval before any camera was installed. Councilor Bob Stackpole, who had seconded the September motion, said the city was not ready for the technology and that there were too many unknowns. Councilor Ayn Hanselmann, who chairs the public safety subcommittee, raised Axon readers as an alternative. The Portland Press Herald reported Sanford as the second Maine community to approve Flock cameras. The Sanford City Council meeting packet containing the September 16, 2025 minutes records a 60 day free trial of 6 Flock cameras and a $23,000 annual fee that would have applied only if the council approved a subscription after the demo, and because the council voted on October 7, 2025 to cancel before any subscription began, no contract amount is recorded.