Simpsonville City Council voted 5-2 to advance an ordinance that will discontinue the city’s acquisition, installation, operation and use of automatic license plate reader technology. Mayor Paul Shewmaker and Councilmember Tim Pinkerton (Ward 5) voted against the measure.
Ahead of the vote, council heard from multiple residents who were both for and against the use of the technology. Those in favor explained that Flock cameras are a necessary tool to help law enforcement, while those against cited privacy concerns because they felt the cameras could help establish a pattern of behavior in movements and log how often a driver goes to the doctor, church, or anywhere else.
Multiple members of council also expressed concerns about what happens to Simpsonville’s Flock camera data when it is shared with another agency…