NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As Mayor-elect Freddie O'Connell gears up to take office following his election win, Metro Nashville is one step closer to an expanded License Plate Reader network.
Metro Council approved the move last month, with strong support from Metro Police.
New documents show the city is willing to pay three companies a total of $4.1 million for the additional LPRs. Metro Police say the devices will help solve serious crimes in Nashville.
But as councilman, Mayor-elect O'Connell voted against the continued use of LPRs, citing privacy concerns in a mayoral debate last month.
"As a software tech professional, when you have a large database of data like that, that has got insufficient guardrails around it, later this can create new classes of victims: for stalkers, people going through a divorce, access to cancer treatment, mental health," O'Connell said.
Last week, O'Connell told NewsChannel 5 political analyst Pat Nolan on Inside Politics while the LPR plan will go forward, he still has privacy concerns.
"I support [Metro Police] Chief Drake's recognition that this is an important tool, and to me it's now how we implement it to protect people's privacy while also adding safety," O'Connell said.
And Tuesday, we got further insight about what might change with LPRs under Mayor O'Connell.
He told us:
I’m concerned about the lack of community input involved in the placement of cameras in the pilot as well as the early data suggesting that cameras are in areas that are predominantly minority populations.
The Metro Council voted to continue the LPR program, and I am working with Chief Drake to protect the privacy of Nashvillians while ensuring the technology is an effective tool for our police in complex investigations.
As Mayor, my focus is on balancing privacy and safety concerns, so Nashvillians know they are safe.
No decisions have been announced about where exactly to put the new LPRs yet, with this as perhaps one of the first major programs to roll out under a new mayor.
