# Gorton orders independent review of city's license plate readers **Published:** 2026-09-04T14:03:12Z **Source:** City of Lexington Mayor's Office (press release, emailed to editor@lexingtonky.news) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/gorton-orders-independent-review-of-city-s-license-plate-readers LEXINGTON, Ky. — [Mayor Linda Gorton](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/government/mayors-office/about-mayor-linda-gorton) announced Friday she will appoint an independent panel to review the city's automated license plate reader technology, saying the decision comes after months of public feedback about the surveillance system. Gorton said in a news release that the panel will examine whether the technology aligns with best practices and meets community needs. She said she hopes to have the review panel in place by the end of September. "Over the past few months, I've listened to the public, and we've had numerous internal conversations about this technology," Gorton said in a statement. "However, I think it's important to take our due diligence to the next level by appointing an independent, unbiased panel, bringing in outside expertise in technology, civil rights, and the law." The announcement came following a [packed city council public comment period where residents spoke against the camera system](https://www.weku.org/lexington-richmond/2026-09-04/as-outcry-grows-lexington-mayor-announces-independent-review-of-citys-flock-cameras). Lexington currently operates 125 license plate readers throughout the city, which are leased from [Flock Safety, a surveillance technology company](https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/lexington-ky-mayor-initiates-review-of-flock-safety-cameras). Gorton emphasized that the panel will focus on the technology itself, not the Lexington Police Department. "No one has accused our police of doing anything wrong," she said. "Police Chief Weathers...fully supports this review." The review comes as [six northern Kentucky cities have announced they are severing ties with Flock, largely due to privacy concerns raised by citizens](https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/lexington-ky-mayor-initiates-review-of-flock-safety-cameras). National concerns about the technology have also surfaced, with [a Louisville police officer recently under investigation after improperly accessing Flock cameras to allegedly track a city employee](https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/lexington-ky-mayor-initiates-review-of-flock-safety-cameras). City officials said the cameras capture only single images of license plates, basic vehicle descriptions, and the date, time and GPS location. They cannot record video, use facial recognition, identify who is in a vehicle, or be used for traffic enforcement, Gorton said. Gorton noted that the cameras have helped police investigate crimes. Since March 2022, she said they have assisted in locating 32 missing persons, recovering over $5.5 million in stolen vehicles, seizing 166 weapons and charging 821 people with various crimes. ## Sources - [City of Lexington Mayor's Office press release](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/government/mayors-office/about-mayor-linda-gorton) - [WEKU reporting on public comment period](https://www.weku.org/lexington-richmond/2026-09-04/as-outcry-grows-lexington-mayor-announces-independent-review-of-citys-flock-cameras) - [GovTech reporting on Flock camera concerns across Kentucky](https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/lexington-ky-mayor-initiates-review-of-flock-safety-cameras) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) from a press release emailed to editor@lexingtonky.news by City of Lexington Mayor's Office, enriched with 2 web searches.