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Council adopts one-year courthouse security contract; members discuss license-plate readers
Summary
Council adopted Ordinance 90-2026 to authorize a one-year contract (07/01/2026–06/30/2027) for unarmed uniform security officers at the municipal court and discussed the city's license-plate reader system (single-event captures, no facial recognition, 30-day retention).
Council adopted Ordinance 90-2026, an emergency ordinance authorizing Barberton Municipal Court to enter a one-year contract (07/01/2026 through 06/30/2027) with a security service to provide unarmed uniform security officers. The ordinance was presented on the consent agenda, the council suspended applicable rules, and the roll-call adoption was recorded as passed.
During committee discussion preceding the council vote, a council member explained the city's license-plate reader system: the cameras capture point-in-time images of vehicles in public view, convert image characters to searchable data (plate, time, location) and record objective vehicle characteristics (color, body type, distinguishing features). The committee emphasized that the system does not perform facial recognition and that captured data is retained for 30 days. A council member cited local law-enforcement uses: locating missing older adults, assisting homicide and hit-and-run investigations, and locating vehicles as part of investigations.
Residents asked about parking enforcement near intersections; council advised reporting recurring problems to non-emergency dispatch for officer follow-up. Council also noted that separate plans are being developed for building security at a planned move to a new facility and that the court-specific contract is distinct from that future plan.
