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Resident urges council to reject Flock license‑plate cameras, citing surveillance and misuse risks
Summary
Kristen Kennedy told council she opposes installing Flock license‑plate reader cameras in Hutto, saying the technology creates a permanent, private‑company‑controlled record of every resident's movements and citing instances of misuse in other jurisdictions.
During public comment resident Kristen Kennedy addressed council and urged them to reconsider installing Flock license‑plate reader cameras. She said her primary concern is the system’s capacity to create a permanent record of residents’ movements that is controlled by a private company and vulnerable to misuse.
Kennedy cited incidents elsewhere, saying use of similar systems led to stalking by officers in Kansas and Florida and false flags that produced dangerous police stops in New Mexico. "The data is collected not just about criminals, but about everyone here in Hutto," she said, and added that other cities, including Austin, had removed similar systems after low effectiveness. Kennedy told council she had emailed her research notes and citations to members and asked them to find public‑safety solutions that do not compromise residents' privacy.
Council did not take action on the comment at this meeting; the item is expected to factor into future discussions about public‑safety technology and police software purchases.
