Amarillo city leaders revisited concerns about surveillance technology and public privacy during Tuesday’s city council meeting as officials considered expanding the city’s network of law enforcement cameras.
After public discussion and comments from Amarillo Police Chief Thomas Hover, council members ultimately voted to move forward with the Verkada camera proposal. The proposal would add 18 Verkada camera systems at intersections across the city for the Amarillo Police Department through a 10-year license and warranty agreement valued at $128,404.26.
According to city documents, the cloud-based camera system would give investigators access to real-time video footage and help officers monitor activity, track movement, and respond more quickly to crimes and developing incidents. Officials also said the systems would improve coordination with the Amarillo Regional Crime Center, where local agencies share information and assist with investigations across the region.
The discussion quickly expanded beyond the Verkada proposal itself and turned toward broader concerns surrounding surveillance technology already operating in Amarillo, particularly the use of Flock ID cameras.
Flock ID cameras are automated license plate reader cameras, commonly referred to as ALPR cameras, that capture images of vehicles and license plates to assist law enforcement investigations. The systems have been operating throughout Amarillo since 2021.
During public comment, residents raised questions about privacy protections, artificial intelligence, and the long-term impact of expanding surveillance tools throughout the city.
Madison Boyle, a resident and lead coordinator for the Amarillo Minority Coalition group “Flock Off the 806,” spoke against the proposal and warned council members about the increasing use of AI-assisted monitoring technology.
“This is one of five AI mass surveillance contracts the city already has, and I’m staunchly against the idea of every citizen being monitored indiscriminately and of the implementations of AI throughout our police force,” Boyle said.
Boyle argued that the reach of Flock systems extends beyond law enforcement agencies and into private communities and organizations through subscription-based access.
“If your HOA has a Flock ID camera, they can access the same information that the police are accessing. That is AI managed with no human oversight, surveilling and logging, and monitoring citizens every day,” Boyle said.
The comments reflected a growing national debate over the role of surveillance technology in public safety efforts. Critics of automated license plate reader systems have argued that widespread data collection can create privacy concerns and lead to excessive monitoring of everyday citizens. Supporters, however, maintain the technology provides investigators with valuable evidence in cases involving stolen vehicles, violent crime, and missing persons investigations.
Mayor Cole Stanley acknowledged residents’ concerns during the meeting and said city leaders are attempting to balance public safety needs with civil liberty protections.
“We do have concerns and we need to be combating crime. And this is a valuable tool, but we need to balance it with care,” Stanley said. “Right now as a society, we question everything. I think it’s fine to question this. I think it’s also important to remain calm and understand we do trust our badged officers.”
Stanley also addressed concerns that the proposed Verkada cameras would be used to monitor private property or track residents throughout the city. He emphasized that the systems would primarily focus on public intersections and criminal investigations rather than routine citizen surveillance.
“We can have people go in there so they can see where that camera data goes, how long it’s kept and what officers are looking at,” Stanley said. “It’s not facial recognition. It’s not tracking your whereabouts. It’s not following you across town. But it is something we use when we have an auto theft or a crime.”
The mayor encouraged residents who remain concerned about the systems to learn more about the technology and how information is managed through the Amarillo Regional Crime Center. The center serves as a hub where local law enforcement agencies coordinate investigations and share information related to ongoing cases and public safety threats.
The debate highlighted the challenges cities across the country continue to face as police departments adopt more advanced technology to assist with investigations while also addressing growing public concerns about privacy and data collection.
While the Verkada proposal moved forward Tuesday, the discussion signaled that questions surrounding surveillance technology in Amarillo are unlikely to disappear anytime soon. Residents on both sides of the issue appear prepared to continue debating how far cities should go in using AI-assisted tools to combat crime while protecting individual freedoms.
