Published: September 8, 2026 Category: Township Reading time: 3 min
The biggest township story of the week is a concrete one. On Thursday, August 27, the Abington Township Board of Commissioners voted to end the police department’s contract with Flock Safety and replace its automated license-plate reader cameras with a system from Axon, citing privacy and data-safety concerns tied to reported data leaks. Governor Josh Shapiro, whose hometown is Abington, has since voiced support for a statewide ban on Flock cameras. Here is what it means for Rydal-Meadowbrook, and how you can weigh in Thursday night.
The new Axon agreement runs five years at about $6,576.50 per year, including two cameras, installation, and access. It is not a clean break: at least one Flock contract cannot be terminated until 2028, so some current readers will stay during the transition. Board members chose tighter local control over surveillance data after the leaks and privacy concerns.
The Board of Commissioners meets Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 PM at the Abington Township Municipal Building, 1176 Old York Road, Abington. Residents can raise the new system’s rollout and privacy protections during the public comment portion of the meeting. A second regular meeting follows on September 24, with the township’s fall budget season close behind.
Neighborhood residents will be in the room, monitoring on behalf of the community.
Staying on top of township decisions on surveillance, safety, and spending is exactly what this neighborhood hub does. Staying involved supports that work, along with the Meadowbrook Bird Sanctuary and neighborhood advocacy on Jackson Park and the Valley Road bike lane. There is no fee to follow along — showing up and staying informed is how neighbors make a difference.
Get involved today and help keep Rydal-Meadowbrook the kind of neighborhood where everyone knows what is happening and has a voice in shaping it.
This week in Rydal: The township ended its Flock license-plate camera contract over privacy concerns, and Thursday’s 7:00 PM meeting sets the agenda for what replaces it. Plus a free rose-gardening talk from Meadowbrook Farm and the September festival calendar. Read the full update and learn how to join. Read more →
Written by Craig Lerch - September 8, 2026