State Rep. Jason Zachary isholding up the Knoxville Police Department's real-time information centeras the standard for how other agencies with similar surveillance programs should operate.
Zachary, whose district includes Knox County but not Knoxville, saidhe met with KPD Chief Paul Noel as concerns about the Knox County Sheriff's Office surveillance plan hit a boiling point. Zachary wrote to constituents that "we need to ensure we have strong statewide standards to ensure the protection of our civil liberties," and touted KPD's internal controls.
He's researching potential legislation for the next session.
Surveillance centers face opposition: Back when KPD asked the city council for money to fund its real-time information center and started
announcing its plans,neighbors were concerned about privacy violations and profiling. KPD made assurances about the robust privacy policies it was planning but, like KCSO says it plans to do, didn't put its policy online until the cameras were operational.
KPD's cameras, crime center and policy went online earlier this summer.
Differences between the agencies: The Knox County Sheriff's Office didn't tellthe Knox County Commission or Mayor Glenn Jacobs about its plans for a surveillance center until July 6, three months after buying cameras from Flock Safety and one month before launch the program. After Jacobs, a civil liberties advocate, found out about the surveillance center, he and Sheriff Tom Spangler agreed to put the program on hold until after their terms end Sept. 1.
The whole plan raised tensions between elected officials and KCSO. The agency still hasn't answered questions posed by Knox News and county officials. The worry is partially over the data policies of Flock Safety and partially over how the sheriff's department plans to use (and potentially share) all the information it collects about community members in their daily lives.
KPD is highlighting its transparency: As the Knox County Sheriff's Office is under scrutiny, the Knoxville Police Department is taking the opportunity to quash concerns about its own program that have rearisen in the new debate.
"There has been significant recent public discourse about automated license plate reader cameras, how the technology works, and the safeguards in place to protect privacy and prevent misuse," KPD Chief Paul Noel said in a statement. "Our community deserves clear answers to those questions."
Noel outlined highlights from KPD's policy in his statement:
- KPD has 19 license plate readers on poles on public roadways with eight more coming
- KPD has 30 more license plate readers attached to vehicles
- KPD license plate readers take photos and record vehicle descriptions. They don't take video and can't identify vehicle occupents or track vehicle movements
- KPD officers must hand-verify the authenticity of license plate reader hits
- KPD officers can search the license plate reader data system, when authorized by a supervisor and KPD's policy, if they're conducting an investigation
Zachary explores Knoxville policies: "I appreciate the Chief and his team for spending time with us yesterday," he wrote on social media, adding the Tennessee's Sheriff's Association said KPD have the best policies in the state. "It was very enlightening and provided me with a better understanding and frankly, a higher comfort level."
Jacobs has an ally in the state: Jacobs, who has had statewide political ambitions in the past, has called on state and federal lawmakers to pump the breaks on surveillance tools. U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, Jacobs' predecessor who is running to keep his seat in Congress, has already submitted legislationto ban federal funding from paying for surveillance programs, and now Zachary may be his partner on the state level.
Zachary also is on the ballot to keep his seat in the legislature, where he's risen through Republican ranks to serve as the Deputy Speaker of the House.
"We need to ensure we have strong statewide standards to ensure the protection of our civil liberties while equipping law enforcement with the tools they need to keep us and their teams safe," Zachary wrote. "Much more research, conversations and work to do on my part as we approach our next session."
Sensing the moment: Burchett, Jacobs and Zachary are working on a cause they believe in and might be tapping into a political moment as well. Police surveillance protections resonate with voters on both sides of the political aisle, especially as voters are increasingly frustrated with government across the board. Taking a stance to protect data collected by cops may grab voters' attention.
What's next? Flock representatives, the Knox County Commission and KCSO officials are set to meet to discuss the surveillance center at 1 p.m. Aug. 24 in the main assembly room of the City-County Building. On Aug. 31, commissioners are set to vote on an ordinance that would ban surveillance and automatic license plate readers.
Knoxville audit committee will hear from comptroller
The Knoxville Audit Committee has its quarterly meeting this week. Here are some highlights from the agenda:
- Audit Committee Chair Nikki Elliott will share updates about the committee's policies about its scope
- Internal auditor Savannah Kirk will share share communication from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury about the city's 2025 financial report
- The city finance department will share a report on complaints of waste, fraud and abuse
When's the meeting? The audit committee will meet at 3 p.m. Aug. 4 in the main assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St.
Will Knoxville voters have a ballot measure in November? City council will consider two different proposals
The Knoxville City Council is again considering altering the city's election system.
The election has a primary and then a runoff regular election. For mayor and municipal judge, a candidate who gets a majority in the primary can be declared the winner without a general election. For city council seats, though, there must be a primary and a general election, even if there are only two candidates or a candidate gets a majority with more than two candidates.
What are the changes?
- Option one: Declare a winner if a candidate for city council if the candidate gets a majority of the votes cast in the primary without a runoff (Proposed by Vice-Mayor Lynne Fugate, Councilmembers Karyn Adams, Matthew DeBardelaben, Debbie Helsley, Nathan Honeycutt and Charles Thomas)
- Option two: Allow at-large candidates to be elected in the primary with a majority and establish that primary winners should have received the top two highest number of votes, except if there's a first place tie. If there's a first place tie, the tied candidates go to the regular election (Proposed by Councilmember Amelia Parker)
When's the meeting? The council will meet at 6 p.m. Aug. 4 in the main assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St.
Study up: Check out the agenda materials councilmembers will review at knoxvilletn.gov/city_council. Click the "agendas" link, then the "HTML Packet" option for the council meetings.
Want to weigh in? Sign up to speak during the Knoxville City Council meeting by emailing cityrecorder@knoxvilletn.gov or by calling 865-215-2075. The deadline to sign up is 4 p.m. Aug. 3.
Knoxville Police Department wants surveillance cameras in Market Square
Speaking of surveillance and KPD, the department wants councilmembers let it apply for a $31,069 Downtown Knoxville Alliance grant to buy six new surveillance cameras to set up in Market Square. The cameras, made by a company called Axon, don't have AI or scanning capability and essentially operate like feeds back to KPD's real-time information center.
Study up: Check out the agenda materials councilmembers will review at knoxvilletn.gov/city_council. Click the "agendas" link, then the "HTML Packet" option for the council meetings.
Want to weigh in? Sign up to speak during the Knoxville City Council meeting by emailing cityrecorder@knoxvilletn.gov or by calling 865-215-2075. The deadline to sign up is 4 p.m. Aug. 3.
Election Day is Thursday
Aug. 6 is Election Day! The election is a busy one. Voters will decide who will lead in Knox County and Farragut, and nominate Democratic and Republican candidates in state and federal primary elections.
On Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling place between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. You can search for yours is at knoxvotes.org.
Check out the Knox News voter's guide to study up on who the best pick is for you.
5 things you may have missed
Here are five news highlights from the past week:
I reported KCSO's deal with Flock Safety lasts 10 years. The department won't share its plans
USA TODAY Network-Tennessee reported a source said a probe found Blackburn staff broke ethics rules
Hayden Dunbar Evans reported the Masonic Temple is facing demolition
Sophia Tiedge reported Knoxville is scrambling after losing two major warming centers
Afton Pratt reported the Chattanooga Times Free Press was sold by WEHCO Media to Max and Craig Fuller
Allie Feinberg is the politics reporter for Knox News. Email: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com; Reddit: u/KnoxNewsAllie
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Rep. Jason Zachary emerges as leader for police surveillance protections
