Georgetown City Council votes to suspend active Flock camera operations during technology review

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — The Georgetown City Council voted 5-3 Monday night to immediately suspend active Flock camera operations while a full review of the technology is conducted.

Before the vote, council members debated whether police should be permitted to continue using the cameras without sharing data with outside sources. The council ultimately agreed on a full suspension.

Council member Michael Crisp made the motion for the suspension.

"This isn't about taking tools from our officers, who do incredible work keeping us safe every day. It's simply about good governance," Crisp said in a Facebook post.

Council members Tammy Mitchell and Karen Sames said they want more conversations before moving forward with the contract.

"We need to put this to rest one way or the other," Mitchell said.

"We've talked about it a little bit, we're heard a lot from the community, but we haven't had a serious conversation about it," Sames said.

While other council members, like Greg Hampton cautioned against moving too quickly.

"Before we make any rash decisions we need to hear from both sides and I think this vote tonight, I think we are overreacting right now," Hampton said.

Crisp said the council plans to reach out to experts to ensure a balanced review of the technology before any final decisions are made.

"Council will be reaching out to independent legal, cybersecurity, and community experts to help make sure our City gets a balanced look at the technology before any final decisions are made. We also want to hear from our citizens and get your input as well," Crisp said in a Facebook post.