Council discusses citywide network of Flock cameras and license-plate readers

Council President Calhoun and city staff presented a proposed agreement with Flock Safety to acquire license-plate readers (LPRs), cameras and related services for an initial up to $150,000, and councilmembers and Police Chief Hall discussed how the system would be monitored and expanded.

The discussion matters because the city is considering integrating privately contracted neighborhood camera systems into a single, MPD-monitored network and because councilmembers raised concerns about existing neighborhood agreements with Flock that could complicate a citywide rollout.

Police Chief Hall said the LPRs are tied into cameras and external databases and called them “an incredibly good tool for us,” saying they can return matches from registrations in other states. Chief Hall described the proposal as an initial step that would start with about 17 cameras and expand as funding allows. He said the last estimate placed annual recurring costs at about $65,000 for the initial 17-camera package, including services, and that the $150,000 figure is an initial purchase and build-out amount.

Several councilmembers pressed for location details. Councilmember Beard asked to see maps of existing cameras and where the new ones would be placed; Chief Hall said the first expansion targets the West and South sides where “we don't currently have the network to cover.” Councilmember Beard said she wanted the new placements coordinated with homeowners associations and requested that the city draw neighborhoods “into the network” so monitoring could be done under a single umbrella.

Councilmember Keith and others described a policy intent that the city manage a single, MPD-monitored system rather than having the council or individual neighborhoods contract independently. City staff warned that neighborhood contracts with Flock are private agreements between the neighborhood associations and Flock, and the city cannot unilaterally terminate those agreements; staff said breaking those contracts could require litigation. The staff presentation also noted that some councilmembers’ two-year neighborhood contracts with Flock have not been paid while the city considers a citywide plan.

Councilmember Smith asked for a public-safety meeting to review the proposal in detail; Councilmember Pruitt requested the same. Councilmembers and staff said they would work with neighborhoods to avoid duplicating camera coverage and to link existing systems where possible. Chief Hall and councilmembers did not record a final vote during the discussion; the matter was framed for further review and possible agreement negotiation.

Less critical details: staff and council members emphasized that building a citywide LPR/camera system could raise costs into the millions over time if fully scaled beyond the initial expansion, and that existing private contracts may slow or complicate municipal consolidation.