“No More Growth”: Prescott Police Clarify Future of License Plate Reader Program
Prescott’s pause on ALPR expansion comes as state and federal efforts intensify to define and regulate license plate reader surveillance.
Explosive moment in Prescott, Arizona tonight as new details emerged during the City Council budget meeting.
Town of Prescott Budget Review: ALPR Program Status
During the April 27, 2026 Town of Prescott budget meeting, Police Chief Amy Bonney indicated the department’s proposed budget does not include funding for expansion of the town’s automated license plate reader (ALPR) program. Chief Bonney stated the department is “finishing out specifically our ALPR camera contract,” referencing existing obligations tied to current equipment.
Mayor Pro Tem Lois Fruhwirth questioned the absence of any visible budget line item and asked whether additional surveillance measures which she referenced as “eyes in the skies” were planned. Bonney responded, “No more growth with that program.”
At this stage, the program appears to be in a maintenance or closeout phase rather than expansion, though contract details and future renewal terms remain unanswered tonight.
Timeline: Prescott / Prescott Valley ALPR Coverage
• June 2025 – Jen’s Two Cents began covering Prescott and Prescott Valley City Council meetings focused on automated license plate readers (ALPRs), including systems by Flock Safety.
• November 2025 – Received public records from Goodyear and Prescott Valley showing my own vehicle data captured within the Flock system.
• November 5, 2025 – Published an hour-long interview with the Prescott Valley Police Department regarding ALPR use and policy.
• November 14, 2025 – I appeared on Eye on Prescott podcast with Chad DeVries and Tony Hamer to discuss ALPR deployment and expansion in the region.
• January 26, 2026 – Reported on email chains discussed publicly following The Power Couple podcast (aired January 25, 2026), hosted by Roman Shapoval, featuring Prescott-area resident Leigh Budlong.
Budlong read excerpts she attributed to 2023 emails involving Prescott Police Chief Amy Bonney and then-interim City Manager Tyler Goodman.
Quotes presented on the podcast included statements expressing concern about early public discussion of the system and awareness of camera locations.
Additional excerpts referenced a February 23, 2023 message involving then-Mayor Phil Goode regarding efforts to initiate a Flock trial contract.
• January 27, 2026 – Jen’s Two Cents covered the Prescott City Council meeting; the footage later gained wider attention after being referenced by engineer and YouTuber Benn Jordan in response to Flock-related claims.
Eye on Prescott’s Chad DeVries reported from today’s Prescott budget workshop. You can view his coverage here.
ALPR Legislation in Arizona
In a November 2025 episode of Eye on Prescott—the same episode I joined as a guest—State Senator Mark Finchem (R-LD1) said government must strike the right balance when it comes to license plate readers. He defended Flock cameras as a form of legitimate public roadway surveillance, while drawing a sharp distinction from speed and red-light cameras, which he said he “hates,” calling them “cash registers” used for revenue generation. He pointed to Scottsdale as an example.
Senators Finchem and Payne introduced legislation that would largely codify the current use of license plate readers across Arizona.
In March, State Senator Jake Hoffman introduced a striker to HB2917 which would significantly reshape how ALPR systems operate statewide, signaling a competing approach to oversight and limitations. During the committee process, Senators Wendy Rogers and John Kavanagh shifted their positions on license plate readers, a move that contributed to advancing the legislation out of committee.
As the legislative session comes to a close, attention now turns to which of these proposals—if any—reach the finish line, and what that will mean for how surveillance technology is governed across Arizona.
This video captures discussions from Prescott to New York about license plate readers—often installed before communities even knew they existed—highlighting moments when residents and leaders confronted the reality of expanding surveillance.
Jen’s Two Cents.
Shout out to an anonymous source for the heads up on the Prescott budget workshop. I will be following up with the Town of Prescott to request an official statement on the status of its ALPR program with Flock Safety.
Additionally, on April 23, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie introduced the Surveillance Accountability Act, legislation aimed at reinforcing Fourth Amendment protections in the digital age. The bill would require government searches to be conducted with a warrant based on probable cause, aligning surveillance practices with constitutional standards.
Shout out to Naomi Brockwell and her team at the Ludlow Institute for helping shape this legislation and for their work to preserve fundamental privacy protections.