City officials and Sherwood residents are closely examining recent contract disclosures, sparking a wave of concern over how easily the city can pull back from high‑tech policing tools.
It means cancellation is actually being looked at! As controversy surrounding the AI data-harvesting cameras mount.
Sherwood’s police department and mayor have released details of two Flock license‑plate reader contracts and a Motorola/BRINC drone agreement, highlighting costs, terms and lingering questions about the ability to cancel these contracts without penalty. Now it’s coming out that it’s possible to get out of the contract.
The news comes after it was revealed that AI surveillance cameras are quietly running data-harvesting on residents.
Contract review reveals gaps in cancellation provisions
The 2022 Flock agreement, signed on Oct. 31, 2022 by Police Captain Scott Hicks and Flock General Counsel Mark Smith, provides seven Falcon license‑plate readers for a two‑year initial term at $19,950 plus $2,450 implementation fees, with $17,500 annual recurring costs thereafter. Section 6.2 allows termination for convenience at any time, imposing a $500 removal fee per unit and requiring a 30‑day notice before non‑renewal. The contract’s start date is tied to installation, not the signing date.
A later 2023 agreement, signed by Mayor Mary Jo Heye‑Townsell on Dec. 22, 2023 and by Flock on Feb. 19, 2024, expands the hardware to 14 Falcon readers, a Condor camera and FlockOS for a 60‑month term costing $193,800 before tax. It requires a 30‑day notice for non‑renewal, but the documents do not confirm an unrestricted cancellation right, and page 5 references an external webpage whose revisions after signing are unknown. The contract lists a 30‑day data‑retention period.
The Motorola/BRINC drone contract, signed by Mayor Heye‑Townsell on Mar. 16, 2026, covers one BRINC Responder station and a drone subscription for six years, with the first year free and five paid years at $79,999 per year, totaling about $438,000 with tax. Termination for convenience is permitted only within the first year, and the agreement contains conflicting billing language regarding annual versus quarterly invoicing. The contract incorporates the Motorola Customer Agreement and related addenda, which have yet to be reviewed.
Residents still lack key details such as exact installation dates, payment records and any amendments that might affect cancellation rights, leaving the city’s obligations unclear. The Arkansas Accountability Project supplied the source PDFs referenced throughout this review. Further examination of the incorporated agreements is needed to determine the full scope of Sherwood’s contractual flexibility.
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