EL LAGO — Residents gathered Tuesday evening for a town hall meeting to discuss concerns surrounding Flock license plate reader cameras, including privacy, law enforcement access and the potential for misuse.

The Oct. 20 meeting began at 6:30 p.m. in the city council chambers, where Lakeview Police Department Chief Carl Nunn addressed residents’ questions about the technology and its use by law enforcement.

Nunn said he shared residents’ concerns about privacy and potential abuse but supported the cameras when they are used legally and appropriately.

“It’s a tool that works, and I don’t think we should throw it out when we’re doing it right at Lakeview,” Nunn said.

Residents questioned who has access to the camera system, how the department could identify potential misuse by officers from outside agencies and how long the contract between the Lakeview Police Department and Flock would remain in effect.

Nunn said the department conducts audits to help identify unusual searches and potential misuse of the system.

He also said he contacted Flock approximately two weeks ago to seek answers to concerns surrounding the technology but had not received a response.

Nunn said determining the next steps would require collaboration among the police department, city council and residents.

He also cautioned that ending the contract with Flock before its expiration could result in financial penalties, including fees exceeding $10,000.

Residents, such as Mrs. Fontaine told KGTX 7 that her biggest concern was that the technology could be abused by rogue governments in Washington DC.

Others, such as former Councilman Darin Clark said the cameras have been previously used in El Lago to help prevent crimes, such as human trafficking. Clark said he backed the Police Chief and City Council.

The discussion centered on balancing the cameras’ potential law enforcement benefits with residents’ concerns about privacy, oversight and accountability, but understood if the citizens didn’t want it.