The following is a statement from Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett: 

As of today, I have directed staff within your Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office to begin the process of pausing the Flock License Plate Recognition (LPR) and Motorola LPR programs managed by our Office. 

This directive, being weighed over several weeks, encompasses multiple factors that have contributed to this decision. 

The primary factor is the tremendous concern regarding public data and potential misuse of what is captured. 

Within the HCSO program, your Sheriff’s Office oversees approximately 70 cameras across Hamilton County.

As your elected Sheriff, I truly believe in LPR technology and its ability to combat criminal activity in Hamilton County and those criminals who are here to cause harm and turmoil.

At my direction, HCSO Command Staff will continue to work through factors of concern that led me to this decision to pause until I am confident that all areas of these concerns are addressed. 

During this time, I call on our state and federal leaders to begin a conversation into what is best for our state, our country, and the protection of the citizens of Hamilton County.