Flock Safety cameras spark privacy debate in Paducah

A Flock Safety camera points at the road off Kentucky Avenue on June 24.

John Yeley

PADUCAH — Across the country, an increasing number of cities are ending their contracts with Flock Safety, the company that provides AI-powered license plate-reading cameras for law enforcement nationwide. Concerns have been raised about how the data is being collected and used, with some calling it an invasion of privacy amid fears of unauthorized federal access.

Paducah resident Jason Duffey said he understands the need for cameras in public areas but doesn’t see the need for them in residential areas, such as his own.

“I don’t really find that to be the proper use of using a Flock camera, because the purpose is to protect or help the police with people maybe moving different places in and out of the city, but putting a Flock camera in a residential area facing individuals’ properties, that is a concern to me, because that’s constant monitoring,” said Duffey.

As that concern grows locally, Paducah Police Chief Brian Laird explained how the…

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