Ban Flock & All ALPRs in Franklin County, KY

99

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The Issue

As of October 1, 2026 in United States v. Kyle, a federal judge determined AI mass surveillance unconstitutional because it intruded on the defendant’s reasonable expectation of privacy in the whole of her physical movements, therefore it was a search under the 4th amendment; a warrantless one. The search was not supported by probable cause, done without a warrant, and in violation of her 4th amendment right. There are 29 documented Flock Safety Cameras in Franklin County, KY. 19 flock cameras are operated by the Frankfort Police Department. 10 flock cameras are operated by the Franklin County Sheriff, Dwayne Depp. If the total number changes for either we will update this petition. This petition is to demand the Board of Commissioners, Mayor Wilkerson and the Franklin County Sheriff, Dwayne Depp, to immediately terminate their Flock Safety contracts and ban all ALPRs henceforth in this community. The Flock Safety contract renews soon, but we want an immediate termination and a ban on ALL ALPRs/ any form of mass surveillance in Franklin County. Your signature is proof of your opposition against AI mass surveillance.  Combining artificial intelligence with law enforcement is a recipe for a dystopian nightmare.

 

It is proven that Flock and ALPRs do not keep a community safer than it would be with just its police force. An innocent woman in CO was wrongly accused of theft due to an error and misinterpretation in Flock Safety recording. An innocent woman in Florida was convicted of 8 felonies, put in prison for 13 days because her car had been mistaken for a criminal’s vehicle due to an error and misinterpretation in Flock Safety’s recording. A woman in Jessamine County was wrongly arrested and accused of being a criminal due to an error and misinterpretation in Flock Safety’s recording. These are just several instances of many that show the errors of Flock Safety and the threat that they pose within a community. Flock cameras have also been posted outside middle schools, daycares, public pools and have led to hackers being able to access footage of children’s gymnasiums. This is a serious constitutional threat and our liberties are at stake for as long as Flock cameras are in our community. ALPRs violate our 4th amendment right for as we now know ALPRs track more than license plates. Basic street cameras do not infringe on the 4th amendment, but Flock Safety and ALPRs are not basic street cameras. What Flock and ALPRs do is continuously identify, track and generate a “detailed pattern of life” for anyone who drives past the camera. Legal scholars call this a “mosaic” which is a full profile of you and what you do in your daily life. Even though you are in a public setting when these cameras record you, the total surveillance footprint they have of you begins to reveal private information about you and your life that a basic street camera would not have or retain. An AI searchable database of our private life that monitors us is a violation of our 4th amendment right. Our Privacy is not a privilege, it is a constitutional right.

 

TIMELINE OF EVENTS OF FLOCK IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY

 

On November 27, 2023 at the Board of Commissioners regular meeting, the ordinance which opened the door for ALPRs and Flock Safety to enter our community had its first reading, a tragic day for our community. In early 2024 Flock Safety was approved by the Board of Commissioners with a 4-1 vote: Commissioners Katrisha Waldridge, Kyle Thompson , Kelly May and Mayor Wilkerson voted in favor of Flock Safety. The only Commissioner who voted against Flock in our community at that time was Commissioner Leesa Unger. Since then 19 Flock Safety cameras have been quietly erected throughout our city. 10 more were erected by the Sheriff countywide. The city of Frankfort’s Flock Safety contract potentially renews by the end of the year. However during the September 28, 2026 Board of Commissioners Regular meeting, Commissioner Unger called for a motion to terminate the contract immediately that evening. Commissioner Unger and Commissioner Smith-Willis voted YES to an immediate termination of Flock Safety’s contract with the City of Frankfort. Commissioner Richardson, Commissioner May and Mayor Wilkerson voted NO to an immediate termination with Flock Safety’s contract. What this means is that two of our Commissioners listened to the people and voted in alignment with what they were asking. It was a small win, but the battle isn’t over yet. We are asking for your signature to prove to the remainder of the Commissioners as well as the Sheriff, that Flock and ALPRs are not worth the risk for our community in Franklin County, KY. To learn more visit our site https://deflockfranklincountyky.wordpress.com/

The Decision Makers

Dwayne Depp
Dwayne Depp
Franklin County Sheriff
Frankfort City Council
4 Members
Leesa Unger
Frankfort City Council
Katima Smith-Willis
Frankfort City Council
Rob Richardson
Frankfort City Council
Layne Wilkerson
Layne Wilkerson
Mayor of Frankfort, KY

Supporter Voices

Petition Updates