By: Emma Grace Beard and Catherine Spicer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) —

Fayetteville City Council is taking a stand on a technology already in use on I-49. The decision highlights a growing debate on balancing public safety with constitutional privacy.

The decision came before the cameras ever arrived. Fayetteville City Council unanimously voted on Oct. 6 to ban Flock, an automated license plate reader system that can capture information about vehicles as they move through public spaces. 

“This is a preemptive ordinance,” said Fayetteville City Council member Bob Stafford said. “The time to decide whether we want this kind of technology is before we purchase it and before we enter any contracts.”

Stafford pointed to nationwide data sharing and recent plate-read errors in Arkansas as reasons to stop Flock.

“The question is whether the initial safety they provide justifies a system capable of recording and searching the movements of thousands of innocent people,” Stafford said.

That tradeoff looks different across the city line. Springdale already has 10 ALPR cameras in place and Mayor Doug Sprouse says they have been a useful tool for police. 

“What matters in my view is what the city does with the data and how the city uses it. And we’ve solved several crimes,” said Sprouse.

However, some Springdale residents are pushing back. Local activist Richard Coger has raised concerns, obtaining FOIA records and starting a petition initiative to create more oversight of Flock data.

“Overall, I believe at the same time they could be useful, they could be used against you,” Coger said.

Sprouse says clear city policies are key to setting boundaries.

“The technology comes and then we have to develop policies to put the proper guardrails and protections in place,” Sprouse said. 

Fayetteville City council may choose to revisit Flock if privacy concerns and fourth amendment issues are addressed. Fayetteville’s unanimous vote does not affect existing police or parking enforcement cameras already in use around town.