LEXINGTON, Ky. — The safety of citizens in Lexington and Fayette County continues to be a top priortiy for Mayor Linda Gorton as January comes to a close.

What You Need To Know

  •  75 additional Flock safety Automatic License Plate Reading cameras will be installed thoughout Lexington in 2023

  •  The intial 25 ALPR cameras have already helped recover $1.8 million in stolen vehicles, find 15 missing persons and charge 197 suspects

  •  The ACLU of Kentucky would rather see tax dollars spent on root issues like pverty, housing insecurity and healthcare access

  • ALPR cameras cannnot take images of people and are not used for enforcement purposes

This year additional resources are being implemented to help the city’s police department solve crimes. Throughout the year, 75 additional Flock safety automatic license plate reading cameras will be installed throughout various parts of the city and county.

Last March the city entered into a pilot program with the Georgia-based security company and installed 25 cameras in town. Gorton said so far they have exceeded expectations in helping police detectives.

“They have done a lot to help the victims of crime and that’s what we’re all about,” Gorton said.

In just 10 months, the cameras have helped detectives in various crimes including murder, burglary and missing persons cases. As of Jan. 18, Lexington Police reported the cameras helping recover 119 stolen vehicles, locate 15 missing person and bring charges to 197 suspects for their alleged crimes. 

 

“In the past, before the Flock cameras, which actually read a license plate, police would have to go door-to-door. They would have had to find people who saw a license plate number,” Gorton said.

Gorton said the cameras are not able to capture images of people inside their cars and can only get an image from the back.

“They’re not watching people, they’re just specifically to get license plate numbers,” Gorton said.

But not all organizations are fans of new technology that is collecting any type of data.

“Privacy and security of private data is something that is always of concern," said Executive Director of Kentucky’s ACLU chapter, Amber Duke.

Duke, who leads the Louisville-based organization, said their primary concern is the cameras cause overpolicing in neighborhoods of color.

“At this time, there does not appear to be more camera coverage across populations of people of color. As the program expands, we’re resurfacing and asking that question,” Duke said.

According to the Lexington Police Department’s policy on ALPR cameras, location of cameras is determined by a review of crime reports from victims. It also states that data obtained through the cameras can only be accessed for investigative purposes and any data not in an active investigation is deleted from the system automatically every 30 days.

Duke said LPD is being transparent about the process, but is concerned that 60 other law enforcement agencies can access the data as well.

“At this time, Lexington Police Department is not releasing the names of those agencies,” Duke said. “These other police agencies that are accessing the data. We don’t know a lot about them and if they have policies in place as it pertains to data.”

Data is only released to an outside agency if it is deemed to be used for an investigative purpose only by an LPD duty commander. The department’s policy also states only certain members of the police department are able to get into the database.

Police and Gorton assured the public that these 100 total cameras will not be used for enforcing traffic violations like speeding or running red lights.

LPD has more on the ALPR cameras on their transparency webpage here.

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