Former state senator urges strict policy on license‑plate readers as public and sheriff clash

A public comment period at the Henry County Fiscal Court meeting drew a sustained exchange over the county's trial use of license‑plate‑reading cameras, with a former state senator urging strict written policies and civil‑liberties advocates warning of surveillance risks while the sheriff defended the technology.

Adrienne Southworth, who said she previously served as a state senator, told the court she helped draft state-level standards and cited Senate Bill 380 (2024) as a model for local policies on audits, procedures and limits on use. "There are tons of massive issues that have happened to other places I think would be best to avoid if we can for Henry County," she said, and offered to help craft rules that protect privacy and reduce legal risk.

A public speaker identified as Destiny criticized county practices more broadly, saying public money has been used without meaningful public process and that conditioning the county on mass surveillance "violates that tradition" and risks Fourth Amendment harms; Destiny said she had written her remarks and wanted accountability beyond a 3‑minute comment window.

Sheriff Keith spoke in favor of the cameras (referred to in the discussion as 'Flock' cameras), saying they have been used as evidence and "we've solved a lot of crimes." He said the tools are valuable for property‑crime investigations, Amber Alerts and finding missing dementia patients, and argued the county should continue to use them pending any definitive court ruling on constitutionality.

The public exchange did not result in a formal vote. Speakers asked the court to consider local policies on procurement, data retention, audits and public notice before any trial period or permanent deployment.