Bellevue agrees to two-year contract for Flock security cameras

“We are going with Flock cameras,” Bellevue Mayor Charlie Cleves said at the end of Thursday night’s city council meeting.

The decision, which saw Cleves break the body’s first tie in at least seven years, approved a master services agreement with Flock Group, Inc, who provide the much-publicized security devices and keep their footage. The contract is for a two-year lease of eight automatic license plate readers, and would total about $24,000. 

Flock’s cameras have been a recurring issue for the council since April of 2025.

At that original proposal meeting, Bellevue Police Chief Jon McClain said that the cameras would be used as a tool to solve crimes, and made clear that they wouldn’t be constantly monitored. Flock representative Jonathan Paz added that any search made by law enforcement would be part of an “audit trail” that the company hoped would provide comfort to local residents.

For some context about the Flock cameras outside of NKY: Since last April’s meeting, multiple lawsuits have been launched across the country. One such case, Schmidt v. City of Norfolk, argues that the Virginia city’s 172 A.L.P.Rs are violations of the Fourth Amendment and  equivalent to warrantless surveillance. The case is currently ongoing, with the court refusing to dismiss the case due to claims that the alleged surveillance would violate the plaintiffs’ rights. 

Issues of city and police overreach didn’t come up in discussion Thursday night, though.

“Chief, I’m not concerned about you or your department violating policies at all,” said council member Kara Harp. “My concern is with Flock, and what they’re doing with the data.” 

Council member Chasity Bothman had a similar sentiment.

“I’ve also read where a lot of cities went into agreement with the Flock camera company and then recalled it because of public outcry,” Bothman said. 

Council member Shauna Kruse also addressed worries about federal and state subpoenas being used to collect information from the cameras, which may be used in ways the city did not intend. 

“The only response I have to that,” McClain replied, “is that that’s never going to go away. There’s always going to be lawsuits. My focus is just a small picture: ‘What can we do for Bellevue?’”