CEDAR PARK, Texas — Another Central Texas city is joining the list of those getting license plate readers in an effort to cut down on crime.
The Cedar Park City Council on Thursday approved the purchase of such devices from a company called Flock Safety with a vote of 5-0 with two members absent.
The cameras can be placed along city streets to snap photos of license plates that are uploaded to databases that police can access. If the plate matches that of a car that's wanted in an open investigation, the system notifies law enforcement.
Opponents of the cameras say the state doesn't regulate how the devices are used, or who can access the data they collect.
"You just never know when somebody is holding this kind of information about your activity and where you go on a daily basis, how they might use and abuse that information in the future," attorney Justin Roberts previously told KVUE.
Cedar Park will now spend up to $107,000 on license plate readers over a one-year term with an additional one-year renewal. Specifically, city documents show that $57,000 will be allotted for the fiscal year 2023 with $50,000 for renewal in the fiscal year 2024.
The license plate readers are used by at least a dozen cities and counties throughout Central Texas, including the Buda, Round Rock and Pflugerville police departments, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office and others.
A November report by the KVUE Defenders found that there is no requirement to inform the public about the use of these cameras, so some agencies have disclosed usage themselves. HOAs and businesses can also use the cameras. As of November, 36 HOAs in Travis County and four in Williamson County were using the cameras.