LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mayor Linda Gorton held a budget briefing to discuss this year's budget for the city of Lexington. Another briefing was then held at the Lexington police headquarters to discuss technology that the budget will go towards.

The Lexington Police Department will combine existing technology for the Fusus system. It will utilize current FLOCK license plate readers and video from traffic cameras.

“This will be an integrated system using existing technology and we’re really very excited about it because it will allow police to solve crimes quicker,” said Gorton.

The annual fee for the software will be $150,000 from the budget. 

Businesses and residents can also tap into the software if they choose.

“Many of our businesses, particularly downtown, are very interested in this system because they can choose which of their cameras to tie into it,” said Gorton.

There are residents and organizations that have expressed concerns over FLOCK cameras, but Gorton said that there are strict policies around them.

“Our police have worked really hard with the NAACP and the ACLU and the Human Rights Commission to draft the policies that are for the license plate readers and the Fusus system,” said Gorton.

The software will not be used towards traffic tickets and will use FLOCK cameras that are already in place.

“They’re in the process right now of deploying those 100 flock cameras and there is no new money for more,” said Gorton.

The Lexington Police Departmentr said that the system will help them be more efficient by using this technology to supplement their detective practices. 

The entire budget is $505 million. $750,000 will go towards site development of a new joint police and fire training center. $6 million will be used to take the next step for a new city hall.

The Lexington Council will look over the budget and approve it in June and it will go into effect on July 1.