BBBTV12 Serving Anderson, Roane, and Morgan Counties
KINGSTON, Tenn. — The City of Kingston will discontinue its use of Flock Safety automated license plate readers when its current contract expires in September.
City Manager David Bolling said Kingston entered into a two-year agreement with Flock Safety in 2024. The contract provided the city with two cameras at a total cost of $12,300.
Bolling said the decision not to renew the agreement was based solely on financial considerations. City officials determined that the benefits provided by the cameras did not justify the cost. The money will instead be redirected to other needs within the Kingston Police Department.
The decision comes amid growing public debate surrounding the use of automated license plate readers. Law enforcement agencies often point to the technology as an effective tool for identifying vehicles connected to crimes and assisting investigations.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about privacy, data retention, access to collected information and the potential for the technology to be used to track motorists.
Kingston’s two Flock Safety cameras are expected to remain in operation until the contract expires in September.
