$10 trick hides cars from Flock cameras
The gist
Records show Knox County structured Flock camera purchases at $24,990, $10 under a $25,000 review trigger.
Over 120,000 Flock cameras scan plates monthly, often without a council vote.
How it unfolded
- Jan 14, 2025Apex approved its contract for 10 Flock cameras, installed later that year; the contract expires in January 2027 unless the town council renews it.
- Oct 2025Denver's city council voted unanimously to reject a $666,000 Flock contract renewal; weeks later Mayor Mike Johnston's office signed a $498,500 extension — $1,500 under the $500,000 threshold at which city contracts require council approval.
- Mar 31, 2026Flock's contract with Denver expired; the city council then voted 7-6 to replace the company's camera network with a competing vendor's 50-unit system rather than ending automated license plate surveillance altogether.