Flock cameras coming to another central Kentucky city

RICHMOND, Ky. (WKYT) - The city of Richmond will soon get Flock cameras.

They will be joining many other central Kentucky cities, such as Lexington, Versailles and Nicholasville.

Officials at the Richmond Police Department say they have seen Flock camera success stories in their neighboring communities.

Whether it helps them solve a crime, or save a life, Richmond Police Chief Rodney Richardson says implementing flock cameras could be a help to their city.

“We’ve seen the positive impact that these cameras have made, essentially assisting the community and assisting law enforcement, so we want to be a part of that program,” Chief Richardson said.

They will have four Flock cameras in total. Chief Richardson says they’ll be placed strategically near the interstate to monitor traffic coming in and out of Richmond.

“It relieves our manpower from setting someone on the side of the road and observing for a certain vehicle that somebody may be looking for for either assistance or criminal related it just assists law enforcement and first responders in general.” Chief Richardson said.

The Richmond-Madison County NAACP president, Mitch Brown, has worked in law enforcement for 40 years. He says Flock cameras could help the community, but in other cities, he’s seen camera placement become a major concern.

“They were found to be in the Black neighborhoods 2.5 to 3 times more in other neighborhoods within that community,” Brown said, “That was really being seen as racial profiling.”

Brown says the placement in Richmond doesn’t seem to bring up those concerns.

“I can see it being a great tool for law enforcement. Any type of technology like that, it’s going to be at the discretion and the character of the particular agency that is using them that they’re determined to ensure everything is done the way it should be.” Brown said.

Chief Richardson says they should have some of those flock cameras up and ready in the next few weeks.

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