Board approves 12 Flock Safety license‑plate readers, including bus garage coverage

The Rowan County Board of Education voted to approve the purchase and installation of 12 Flock Safety cameras, including one positioned to cover the school bus garage.

Mr. Larry introduced the proposal as a request for "flock cameras," explaining the devices function as license‑plate readers and live cameras. "They're also just cameras for observation," he said, and added the system can notify law enforcement when a plate on a custom watch list is detected.

Larry described the intended deployment as covering "every entrance to the [school] hill, every entrance to the schools" and said the district would coordinate placement with local law enforcement. He said the system records about 30 days of live imaging before older footage cycles off.

A board member moved to approve 12 cameras to include coverage of the bus garage and to evaluate the deployment after initial installation. The motion carried after a voice vote. The board did not provide a detailed roll‑call tally on the record.

Nut graf: The cameras are intended to increase vehicle identification and campus monitoring at entrances and parking areas; the vendor offers integration with some existing cameras and provides maintenance and replacements under the subscription.

Board discussion noted that 10 cameras was the minimum proposed package and that 15 would be optimal for complete coverage; the approved 12 units were presented as a conservative initial deployment that covers main entrances and the bus garage. Mr. Larry said Flock provided a mock mapping of suggested locations but he declined to display detailed maps publicly at the meeting.

Ending: Mr. Larry said he expected the vendor to prepare paperwork promptly and to begin installation after the district executes the agreement; he estimated the system could be in place "by next school year," and possibly sooner.