Council approves grant application for automated license-plate readers, votes 3-1

The Terrell City Council approved Resolution No. 2215 on March 25 to apply for a Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant and expand the Flock Safety automated license-plate recognition (ALPR) program.

Captain Michael Buellen told the council the city had the opportunity to receive about $160,417 from MVCPA to increase the number of Flock Safety devices. The grant would buy one year of service and the department would reapply in future years if it wished to continue the program.

Council members pressed for clarity on the city's financial commitment if the grant is not awarded. Captain Buellen said he had not yet discussed ongoing funding with the city manager or police chief and that the increment covered by the current grant application would be a FY27 decision. He said the department believed it could cover matching funds in the current numbers but cautioned that sustaining the program without recurring grant awards would be difficult.

Council then moved to adopt the resolution. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Phil Robinson moved approval; Mayor Ronnie Velasquez seconded. After a roll-call-style voice vote, the motion carried 3 to 1. One council member recorded an opposition; the minutes show the outcome as "Motion carries, 3 to 1." Captain Buellen and other staff said the grant application had been completed.

Why it matters: ALPR systems expand law enforcement's ability to identify stolen vehicles and suspects but also raise recurring cost questions. Council members specifically asked whether the IT and police budgets could absorb the program in FY27 without grant funding.

Next steps: Staff will submit the completed MVCPA application and, if the grant is awarded, proceed with purchases and installation. Captain Buellen said the purchase would occur in October and the city would need to seek renewal grants for future years.