Florence, Kentucky, has temporarily suspended its use of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras. Drivers in Florence will no longer have their license plates scanned by the city's Flock cameras during this period.
The decision, announced by Florence Mayor Julie Metzger-Aubuchon, comes as the city reviews the technology and its data collection practices. LINK nky reported that all license plate readers in Florence are deactivated, meaning they are not capturing or transmitting data.
"Residents have raised legitimate questions, and they deserve more than assurances," Metzger-Aubuchon stated in a news release. "They deserve a careful examination of the facts, the technology, the law, the public safety benefits, and the safeguards that can be put in place."
What does this mean for drivers in Florence?
For drivers, this suspension means that the 10 Flock license plate reader cameras previously installed in Florence are no longer actively monitoring vehicle movements. These cameras, which the Florence Police Department contracted for in September 2025, are now offline. This change affects the scope of surveillance on Florence roadways, at least for now. You can always check our /map for updates on camera locations.
What happens next with Florence's cameras?
A joint task force will conduct a review of Flock Safety systems. This task force includes representatives from:
- Local law enforcement agencies
- Legal counsel
- Technical experts familiar with Flock Safety
- Other relevant stakeholders
This task force will assess whether the Florence Police Department should continue using Flock Safety systems. After its review, the task force will present its findings to the Florence City Council. The council will then decide the future of Flock cameras in the city.
Florence is not alone in this reevaluation. It is one of seven Northern Kentucky cities that have recently suspended or ended their use of Flock Safety cameras. Other cities include:
- Newport
- Bellevue
- Fort Mitchell
- Independence
- Fort Thomas
- Erlanger
This trend highlights a growing regional conversation about automated license plate reader technology and its impact on privacy and public safety. The Florence City Council will receive the task force's recommendations at a future meeting, which will determine if the cameras remain deactivated or are permanently removed.