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Knoxville council approves downtown camera donation after debate over oversight and access
Summary
Council approved a Downtown Knoxville Alliance donation of $31,069.84 to fund cameras in Market Square after amending the published amount; debate focused on locations, who can access footage, retention, and whether cameras include facial recognition or plate readers.
The Knoxville City Council voted to accept a $31,069.84 donation from the Downtown Knoxville Alliance to purchase security cameras for Market Square, approving an amendment that corrected the resolution's published amount. Council members discussed where cameras would be placed, who would have access to footage, and whether the devices would include facial recognition or license-plate readers.
Chief Noel told the council the department is seeking "3 to 4 locations in Market Square itself" and that the cameras would operate on the cellular network and be mounted on city light poles. He said the vendor is on a state contract. Councilmember Parker and others pressed for clarity about oversight and data access; Chief Noel said DKA would donate funds to the city, the city would buy and own the cameras, and the Real Time Information Center would manage feeds according to existing retention rules. Public commenter Nicole Skinner urged the council to reject the purchase, saying KPD "has proven time and time again that they can't be trusted" with surveillance and raising concerns about access by other agencies.
Councilmembers also asked whether the cameras would include facial recognition or automatic license-plate readers; Chief Noel answered that they would not. The council approved the amended resolution by voice vote; the packet originally showed an incorrect number and was amended on the floor to $31,069.84 before the final vote.
