Lexington council hears 17 speakers urge Flock camera cancellation

28 August 2026.

Twenty members of the public addressed the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council on August 27, 2026, to discuss the city's Flock Safety license plate reader contract. Seventeen speakers urged cancellation of the agreement, while three supported its continuation. Before public comment began, 4th District Council member Emma Curtis stated she would have voted against the contract had she been in office during its approval in 2022 and 2024. Curtis cited three concerns: reported misuse of plate readers by officers in other jurisdictions, use of plate-reader data to enforce abortion restrictions elsewhere, and constitutional implications from recent Supreme Court precedent. She called on colleagues to address the issue directly rather than dismiss it as politically inconvenient.

Noah Cornett, speaking for Bluegrass Democratic Socialists of America, read a seven-point letter calling for contract cancellation, removal of all cameras within six months, data deletion, and warrant requirements for future surveillance technology deployment. Cornett referenced a Shively police officer arrested on charges of conducting 2,048 unauthorized Flock searches on vehicles belonging to the mother of his child. He also alleged that Lexington police sent Flock data to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement twice in April 2026. The Lexington Times subsequently confirmed this allegation through audit logs showing two searches on April 18 with the stated reason "Other – agency assist (ICE)." The meeting took no votes, as Flock cameras were not on the official agenda. Readers can check their own town's public records for council agendas, public comment transcripts, and law enforcement audit logs related to any automated license plate reader contracts.

Read the original reporting: The Lexington Times.