Denver City Council to Decide on Axon License Plate Reader Contract

The Denver City Council is preparing for a crucial vote this Tuesday regarding a proposed contract with Axon for Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology. This decision follows Mayor Mike Johnston's recent move to end the city's agreement with the previous vendor, Flock.

The vote, which was previously delayed from the prior week, was postponed after several council members expressed concerns that the decision was being rushed. The council is now set to cast their final votes on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. concerning the new vendor.

Privacy Concerns and Task Force Opposition

Significant reservations have been voiced by community members and the Denver Surveillance Task Force concerning the new proposal. Members of the Task Force sent a letter to the entire Council urging a 'no' vote.

The letter cautioned against quickly adopting another contract for potentially risky surveillance technology without established statutory regulation in place. Katie Leonard of the Denver Party for Socialism and Liberation noted that many feel the contract lacked adequate input from constituents and community organizations.

Axon Proposal Details and Changes from Flock

The proposed one-year contract with Axon is valued at $150,000. Axon already supplies the Denver Police Department (DPD) with tasers and body-worn cameras.

The new deployment plan involves Axon installing 50 cameras, which is a reduction compared to the current number provided by Flock. Furthermore, the contract proposes shortening the data storage period from 30 days down to 21 days.

Public Safety Benefits Cited by Supporters

Supporters emphasize that the technology significantly aids law enforcement efforts. Mayor Johnston's director of policy, Tim Hoffman, highlighted Flock cameras' effectiveness since the summer of 2024, citing 446 stolen vehicles recovered, 528 arrests, and 63 firearms removed.

Hoffman also pointed out that ALPR data was crucial in over 40% of 2025 homicide investigations and 23% of non-fatal shooting cases. Denver resident David Howard supported the transition, stating that any technology acting as a force multiplier for law enforcement benefits the public.

Data Ownership Assurances

To address ongoing privacy debates, city leaders have assured the public that Denver will retain ownership of all data collected. City officials confirmed that Axon will not pool this information into a sharing network or sell it to any third parties.