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Residents press council for transparency on Axon license‑plate readers and data policies
Summary
Multiple Meridian residents told the council they are concerned about city deployment of license‑plate reader systems (Axon) and urged clearer public disclosure of what data are collected, retention policies, access and oversight; councilmembers agreed a workshop to revisit the camera program would be appropriate.
Several residents used the July 7 public forum to raise concerns about the city’s use of license‑plate reader systems and related surveillance technology. Kalisha Sherman told the council she is “not willing to be surveilled 24/7 just for the sake of a little bit of safety,” and asked for a meeting to discuss how the system is used.
Melody Brown framed the concern in constitutional terms and asked the council to publish clear limits and oversight: "These cameras don't just collect information on criminals. They collect information on everyone who drives by," she said, and asked what data are collected, how long they are stored, who has access and under what circumstances they are shared.
Additional public commenters, including Adam Wirtz and Ryan Williams, said the technology can be a slippery slope toward broader tracking and urged greater transparency about who owns the devices, how taxpayer dollars are being used and whether independent oversight exists.
Council members acknowledged the volume of public comment and the need to provide clear information. Councilwoman Schrader suggested a dedicated workshop to review the city’s camera program, its outcomes and guardrails. "I think we owe it to the community to have that discussion," she said.
Next steps: Council members asked staff to schedule a workshop to present the camera program’s uses, data‑handling policies, evidence of effectiveness and the program’s memoranda of understanding with other agencies.
