LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB/WFIE) — A Kentucky police department is dropping plans to install five license plate-reading cameras after residents pushed back on the proposal.
Hartford Police Chief Roger York said the department began working with Flock Safety in May after the city council approved the plan.
But the proposal quickly drew criticism on social media. That led York and the department to take a closer look at the technology and hear from residents.
"With a lot of the talk on Facebook and everything like that, we were a little bit on the uneducated side, but we began to educate ourselves with this and then come to realize that it’s just not for us," York said.
York said a majority of Hartford residents who spoke out were against the cameras.
The five cameras were planned for several spots around Hartford, including Kentucky 69 South, Main Street and near Oakwood Elementary. The cameras also would have had live video capabilities, WFIE reported.
York said the decision wasn't a criticism of Flock Safety. He said he sees value in the technology but has concerns about how the information is stored.
The department also wants residents involved in decisions about police technology.
"We hear the people," York said. "The people, with our taxes, they pay for a lot of the equipment that we have. They deserve to know exactly what we purchase."
The department plans to look for other ways to improve public safety, including technology York said would be less invasive.
For now, the five cameras will not be installed in Hartford.
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