Lockhart City Council vote ‘NO’ to cameras

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor                           

       The Lockhart City Council said “no thanks” to a proposal to bring license plate cameras to town. In a 6–1 vote Thursday night, council members rejected a plan that would have allowed the city to contract with Flock Safety to install seven of the cameras around Lockhart.

         Mayor White offered more detail on the council’s decision. “During Thursday’s meeting, the City Council received a presentation from Flock Safety on License Plate Reader camera technology. We also heard from residents who voiced concerns about privacy and data sharing,” he said. “After considering both the information presented and the community’s feedback, the Council voted against moving forward with the proposal. We remain confident in our police department’s ability to serve and protect our community using the resources, training, and personnel currently available.”

   Councilmember John Castillo made the motion to reject the plan, citing negative community feedback and ongoing worries about privacy and data use. Mayor White cast the only vote against that motion, though his comments suggested he wasn’t necessarily in favor of signing the contract either.

   Lockhart Police Chief Gary Williamson also weighed in on the discussion, saying he appreciates the community’s engagement on the issue. “I appreciate the concerns raised by our residents during Thursday night’s Council meeting,” Williamson said.      “In other communities, this technology has demonstrated its effectiveness in aiding criminal investigations, and it’s important that we continue to have informed discussions about the potential role these types of technologies play in our community. That includes having concrete data about how License Plate Reader cameras operate, how data is retained, and with whom it is shared.”

   Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based company, provides license plate reading cameras used by law enforcement agencies and neighborhoods across the country. The technology captures images of passing vehicles, recording license plates and vehicle characteristics that can be shared among participating agencies to assist in investigations.

   Caldwell County already has six Flock cameras in operation, managed by local law enforcement. The proposed Lockhart system would have added seven more within city limits, expanding coverage but also raising new questions about oversight, data sharing, and long-term costs.

   Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley has defended the company’s technology, saying in a June statement that “clickbait-driven reporting and social media rumors” have distorted how their systems are viewed.

   For now, Lockhart leaders say they’ll revisit the idea only after gathering more information about how similar programs have worked in neighboring communities.