Florence City Council will consider later this month whether to continue using automatic license plate cameras from private company Flock Safety.
The move comes after a townhall-style meeting on Monday where community members said they felt like they were being treated like criminals, or worried their constitutional rights and privacy were being violated. Eugene, Lane County and Springfield ended their contracts with the company in December.
Some, such as Florence resident Dawn Matthews, said they weren’t necessarily opposed to license plate cameras in general, but were uncomfortable with Flock as a company after hearing reports of police departments in other states unwittingly giving access to other agencies.
She said Florence should have a public transparency portal like other cities that shows who has access, and why.
“Show us you have nothing to hide,” Matthews said.
During the meeting, Florence Mayor Rob Ward said he’d heard from law enforcement that the cameras had been a big help in closing cases.
"I want Florence to be safe, and community safety is incredibly important," Ward said. “And as long as it can be done in a manner that doesn't become abusive, I support the continuance of it here in our community because it has proven itself to be an incredible tool."
City council president Robert Carp said the system was a tool that was working, and the public shouldn’t have an expectation of privacy on public roads.
Florence has four of six planned cameras installed, including one at the Highway 101 and 126 junction. It’s been using Flock Safety’s system since 2024.
Several council members said they understood the concerns, but needed more time to make a decision. The city council will discuss Flock cameras again on Jan. 22.
