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Bonner Springs OKs MOU to allow Wyandotte County to install license‑plate readers at K‑7/Kansas Ave
Summary
Council authorized the city manager to sign a memorandum of understanding allowing the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office to install two license‑plate reader cameras at K‑7 and Kansas Avenue; police said the system will be intelligence‑sharing, require no city funding, and will not alter expectations of privacy on public roadways.
The Bonner Springs City Council authorized the city manager on March 24 to execute a memorandum of understanding allowing the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office to install and operate license‑plate reader (LPR) cameras at the K‑7 and Kansas Avenue intersection.
Chief Billy Knapp told council the initiative—funded by the sheriff’s office—will place one northbound and one southbound camera on existing light poles and will allow the city police to receive alerts and do intelligence searches for vehicles tied to investigations, stolen vehicles or active warrants. Knapp said the project requires no current or future city funding commitment.
During council questions, Knapp addressed privacy concerns: "Operating on a city highway or city street, you have no expectation of privacy," he said, adding that the system sends alerts for vehicles-of-interest and can be used to search a time window of traffic for investigative leads. Council asked about camera placement, liability and future expansion; staff said the cameras will be pole‑mounted and the county will include a liability waiver to cover maintenance or accidental damage.
The motion (mover: Shannon; second: Gurley) was called and passed on a roll call vote. The council did not discuss changes to local data‑retention policy during the public segment; Chief Knapp described current operational uses and said seven units are already deployed in Kansas City with positive results.
What happens next: The city manager will sign the MOU and county staff will coordinate installation. Police said they plan to integrate the feed for investigatory alerts and intelligence searches.
