Durham scraps controversial police tech contract after community resistance
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- City manager pulled a $517,500 police data‑integration proposal after opposition.
- Residents warned of mass surveillance, racial profiling and federal misuse.
- City manager referred the Peregrine Technologies proposal back to staff; no public hearing occurred.
The Durham City Council has effectively killed a controversial $517,500 police data-integration contract after critics said it could lead to mass surveillance and racial profiling.
City Manager Bo Ferguson pulled the proposed contract with Peregrine Technologies at the start of Monday night’s council meeting, saying it was “no longer being considered or put forward by staff.”
The decision follows a heated discussion at the City Council’s Jan. 29 meeting, where residents expressed fears that the software provided by Peregrine Technologies could be weaponized by federal agencies to target marginalized communities or assist in immigration raids.
Police Chief Patrice Andrews told the council on Jan. 29 that the new technology would help the department create a “mission control center” to solve violent crimes more quickly. The Real Time Crime Center would also help the department fill gaps as it deals with staffing shortages and reduce the time required for investigations, solving cases faster and more efficiently.
Because the proposal was pulled, there was no opportunity for the public to speak Monday night. Andrews also did not speak during the meeting, which was conducted virtually because of the weekend’s winter weather.
Technology skepticism
Council member Chelsea Cook, who had opposed the contract, said she felt “totally confident” with Ferguson’s decision.
“The staff heard an overwhelming majority on council that did not want to move forward with this contract,” she said. “I feel OK, also, about not having discussion on it, even though I understand some people would have wished to have been heard. ... I totally understand the frustration that folks are having.”
Mayor Leo Williams, the only council member last week to support the contract last week acknowledged the “great diversity” of opinion.
The council has previously dropped technology solutions the Police Department has said it needs. In 2024, the City Council voted to end a contract with the gunshot surveillance company ShotSpotter after it failed to meet community expectations in Durham. Critics said ShotSpotter unfairly targeted Black residents and residents of color instead of working to reduce violence.
While the council didn’t show support for the Peregrine technology, there was still support for finding ways to reduce violence and support the police.
“I do think that the Durham Police Department needs to have the tools to do the necessary work that needs to be done on a daily basis,” council member Nate Baker said at the Jan. 29 meeting. “I think to move forward with any kind of new technology, like in this moment that we’re in, there need to be very robust guardrails.”
The vote to accept Ferguson’s recommendation passed unanimously.
In an email, city spokesperson Amy Blalock said Ferguson will “continue to evaluate needs and technology requests from the Police Department to support their work and mission, while also respecting the concerns and questions raised by the council and community.”
This story was originally published February 3, 2026 at 8:13 AM.