Lexington activists seek Flock contract cancellation at Council meeting

26 August 2026.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council will meet Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 6 p.m. at Council Chambers. Organizers with the Democratic Socialists of America plan to deliver a demand letter requesting cancellation of the city's Flock Safety contract, removal of all 125 automated license plate readers within six months, and deletion of collected data.

The five-year contract, signed in 2024, includes a termination clause allowing the city to exit with 30 days' written notice at no cost, contingent on the availability of appropriated funds. The Council controls the budget appropriation lever that would activate this provision. Flock Safety is not on Thursday's official agenda, meaning public comment on the issue will occur during the comment period at the end of the meeting rather than at the beginning.

Lexington's Flock program began in 2021 when the Council authorized an installation agreement. The current contract covers 100 cameras initially, expanded to 125 cameras in July 2024. The contract runs through February 2029 unless terminated earlier, with automatic renewal in 24-month increments absent 30-day notice from either party.

The demand letter contains seven requests: immediate contract cancellation, commitment against future ALPR contracts, camera removal within six months, data deletion except for active legal proceedings, spatial restrictions on cameras, zoning requirements for private ALPRs, and warrant requirements for surveillance profiles. The chapter reports more than 350 members and says the membership voted unanimously in May to bring the issue before the Council.

Readers can check whether their own city council has similar termination-for-non-appropriation clauses in their ALPR or surveillance technology contracts.

Read the original reporting: The Lexington Times.