Knox Co, TN (WOKI / WVLT) – All Flock license plate reader cameras used by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office will be removed after the Knox County Commission unanimously approved an emergency ordinance Monday night.
The ordinance requires the removal of the cameras within 30 days and took effect immediately because emergency measures require only a single vote to become law.
The action follows weeks of scrutiny surrounding the sheriff’s office’s use of the camera system and a proposed expansion that would have nearly tripled the number of cameras operating across the county.
The controversy intensified after an Aug. 25 meeting between county commissioners, representatives from Flock Safety, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. During that meeting, commissioners learned the sheriff’s office had reportedly purchased camera systems in multiple transactions priced just $10 below the $25,000 threshold that would have required review by the county mayor.
County leaders also questioned whether the sheriff’s office had the authority to enter into long-term agreements with Flock Safety without additional county oversight.
The debate initially began when the sheriff’s office sought to use state grant funding to install approximately 270 additional Flock cameras. The agency already operates roughly 140 cameras throughout Knox County.
Following Monday’s vote, Mayor-elect Betsy Henderson praised the commission’s decision, saying residents had made their opposition to the camera network clear.
“I applaud the work of the County Commission in passing an emergency ordinance to order the takedown of Flock cameras,” Henderson said in a statement. “I will always support law enforcement and the work they do to protect the place we call home, but that work must be carried out in ways that respect individuals’ constitutional rights.”
Henderson also credited commissioners who helped lead the effort, saying elected officials must ensure citizens’ voices are heard and their rights respected.
Outgoing Mayor Glenn Jacobs said implementation of the ordinance would largely fall to the next administration but noted county officials had already revoked permits associated with some camera locations.
Jacobs said several cameras mounted on standalone poles were found not to meet federal safety standards. He also said some cameras had been installed on utility poles without proper county permits.
“Anything that’s in the county right-of-way has to be permitted by the county,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs also raised concerns about the long-term costs of the camera system, saying county officials recently learned the sheriff’s office would likely need approximately $2.6 million to continue operating and maintaining the network.
The mayor said county officials discovered an $800,000 purchase involving Omnia, a company that works with Flock on camera technology, during the Aug. 25 meeting.
According to Jacobs, the arrangements involved leasing cameras rather than purchasing them outright, creating additional questions about whether the agreements should have received approval from county leaders and commissioners.
“It’s not only the $800,000 that has already been spent on leasing the cameras,” Jacobs said. “You don’t actually buy the cameras. You lease the cameras, and then the money is part of the service agreement that comes along with the cameras.”
Supporters of the cameras have argued the technology assists law enforcement in locating stolen vehicles, tracking suspects, and solving crimes. Critics, however, have raised concerns about privacy, oversight, and the process used to expand the network.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office did not have a representative present during Monday’s commission meeting. As of publication, the agency had not publicly responded to the commission’s vote.
With the ordinance now in effect, all Flock cameras operated by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office are expected to be removed within the next month.
