Council asks staff for briefing on license‑plate readers and how city uses that data
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Summary
After reiterating the council's opposition to Flock cameras, members asked staff for a detailed briefing on the city's existing license‑plate‑reader technology, how data are stored and used, and the distinction between Flock and municipal systems.
Councilors asked staff to prepare background information on the city's license‑plate‑reader (LPR) systems, including differences with third-party Flock cameras, data storage, and operational uses.
Several councilors reiterated a prior decision not to adopt Flock's public-facing cameras. "We decided already that we were not interested in Flock cameras," Speaker 5 said. Other speakers noted the city uses LPRs for parking enforcement and is piloting gated-ramp solutions that read plates to speed exits.
Speaker 4 asked for staff to explain how the police department uses LPRs and how the city’s deployments differ from Flock. "There's a difference between Flock and just license plate reader technology. Flock is a AI driven weird company that there's a lot of controversy right now about," Speaker 4 said, asking staff to report on data retention and use policies. Staff (Speaker 7) said the city has used LPRs in parking for a decade and is piloting technology in two decks to speed exits.
Councilors kept the item on the pending list and requested an information packet or agenda item so the public can comment and staff can present privacy protections and operational details.