KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — Questions about how the Knox County Sheriff’s Office purchased Flock license plate reader cameras are adding to an ongoing debate over the future of the surveillance technology in Knox County.
During a Monday meeting that lasted more than two hours, Knox County commissioners met with representatives from both Flock Safety and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office to discuss the department’s use of the camera system and plans for a significant expansion.
The discussion was prompted by the Sheriff’s Office proposal to use state grant funding to install 270 additional Flock cameras, adding to approximately 140 cameras already operating throughout Knox County.
A key concern raised during the meeting involved purchasing practices tied to the camera system.
Commissioner Larsen Jay said he reviewed records showing multiple payments to Flock of $24,990, an amount just below the $25,000 threshold that would trigger review by the Knox County Mayor’s Office.
Jay said the repeated purchases raised concerns.
“If you hit the exact price, minus ten bucks, it’s a red flag to me,” Jay said. “Which to me shows a pattern of buying things right under the threshold again and again and again. That concerns me.”
Jay also pointed to multiple purchase pairs of $12,500, arguing that if those purchases had been combined, they too could have exceeded the threshold requiring additional review.
According to Jay, whether the purchases were intentionally structured or not, the pattern deserves scrutiny.
“This flew under the radar. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, it doesn’t matter,” Jay said.
A representative from the Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the concern during the meeting.
“I see what you’re saying as far as appearances,” the KCSO representative said. “I can see your point completely, sir.”
The discussion comes as county leaders continue weighing concerns about privacy, oversight, and transparency surrounding the use of license plate reader technology.
Supporters of the system argue Flock cameras help investigators identify vehicles connected to crimes and quickly share information with other law enforcement agencies. Critics, however, have raised concerns about data collection, long-term tracking capabilities, and government surveillance.
The future of the program remains uncertain.
Commissioners could take action on the issue as soon as August 31, when the commission may vote on whether the cameras should remain in operation.
Adding another layer to the debate, a letter from Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs indicates the Sheriff’s Office agreement with Flock may already be in question, potentially affecting future plans for the camera network.
For now, county leaders continue to review both the technology’s public safety benefits and concerns over how the program has been managed as Knox County debates its next steps regarding the controversial camera system.
