Crossville
During the public comment segment at the latest Crossville City Council meeting, local residents continue to voice opposition and raised transparency concerns regarding the city police department's use of Flock automated license plate reading cameras.
Resident Dylan Romero and retired law enforcement veteran Roger Romero argued that continuous camera surveillance infringes upon Fourth Amendment protections and state constitutional rights against warrantless searches.
Addressing the council during the City Attorney’s report, the city attorney acknowledged the public's passion for civil liberties, comparing their vigilance to founding American ideals. However, he noted that federal courts have upheld license plate readers under the "plain view" doctrine, establishing that motorists have no legal expectation of privacy on public roadways. He reassured the council and audience that Crossville’s cameras function strictly as license plate readers, access is restricted to certified officers tied to active 911 call docket numbers, and collected data is automatically purged after 30 days.
Members Discussion