Kearney to Host Community Discussion on License Plate Cameras

Kearney residents will have a chance to see how the city’s license plate camera system works and ask city officials questions about its use during a community event Nov. 10.

The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Annunciation Community Center, 705 N. Jefferson St. It will open with a demonstration of the Flock system, covering how Kearney police use the cameras, what information they collect and the safeguards in place.

After the demonstration, residents can speak one-on-one with the mayor, members of the Board of Aldermen and the police chief to ask questions and share feedback. Police officers, city staff and a Flock representative also will be available to answer questions.

Kearney uses 14 Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras. According to the city, the cameras help police investigate crimes, locate missing or endangered people, recover stolen vehicles and property, and identify vehicles associated with wanted people.

The Board of Aldermen first approved the cameras in March 2023. In 2024, the city entered into a five-year agreement for 14 cameras at an annual cost of $35,000.

The cameras capture still images of passing vehicles on public roadways, along with license plate information and vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color. Each image is associated with the date, time and camera location. The cameras do not use facial recognition, record audio or identify drivers or passengers. They also do not issue speeding or red-light tickets.

The city acknowledges that the technology raises questions about privacy, access to information and accountability. The Nov. 10 event will give residents an opportunity to discuss those issues directly with officials.

Following the event, the city plans to conduct a community survey so residents can provide additional feedback on Kearney’s use of the cameras.

For more information on the city’s use of license plate reader technology, visit kearneymo.us/departments/police/flock_cameras_.php

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Second Flock Camera Missing after Earlier Vandalism

a separate Flock camera near 19th Street and Nation Road was found cut down.

City officials say another Flock safety camera has been tampered with in Kearney, this time near Jesse James Park, where a camera was reported missing.

The discovery comes only days after a separate Flock camera near 19th Street and Nation Road was found cut down. Officers with the Kearney Police Department discovered that damaged camera, according to city officials.

It remains unclear when the Jesse James Park camera was removed. The city said investigators do not currently have leads in either case.

The incidents come as communities continue to debate the use of Flock license plate reader cameras. Supporters say the technology can help police investigate crimes and locate missing people, while critics have raised concerns about privacy and the collection of license plate data.

Kearney officials said the city is still seeking bids to replace the camera damaged near Nation Road.

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to contact the Kearney Police Department.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Flock Camera Found Cut Down Near 19th and Nation Road

Kearney Police are investigating after a pole supporting a Flock license plate reader camera was cut down Thursday morning , though the pole and camera were left at the scene.

The reader was located near 19th Street and Nation Road, close to the site where a new fire station is under construction. City officials said the camera was in a remote area, and there were no nearby homes with security cameras that could have captured the incident.

Colleen Doctorian, the City of Kearney’s public information officer, said an officer discovered the damage early Thursday.

“Early this morning one of our officers noticed that the Flock camera that’s at 19th and Nation Road had been cut down,” Doctorian said.

Images from the scene showed what appeared to be a clean cut through the pole, with the camera lying on the ground nearby.

The damaged camera is one of 14 Flock cameras installed in Kearney, where the technology has become the subject of ongoing public discussion. Some residents have raised privacy concerns about automated license plate readers, while others have said they support the cameras as a law enforcement tool.

Doctorian said the city plans to replace the Nation Road camera. She said the police department uses the cameras to help with criminal investigations, describing them as one of several technology tools available to police.

City officials said anyone caught cutting down the cameras could potentially face felony property damage charges.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Kearney Police Department at 816-407-3700 or the department’s business line at 816-628-3925.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.