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License-plate readers · Christian

Christian

Using license-plate readers · 3 agencies documented

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Nixa Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
4
The city announced four Flock plate-reader cameras on June 28, 2023; no newer count found.
  1. June 2023 City of Nixa announced its police department was using four Flock Safety license plate reader cameras; officers must enter a reason for each search. (City of Nixa, June 28, 2023)
  2. Nov. 2025 KSMU listed Nixa among southwest Missouri cities using Flock plate-reader cameras. Dated by month: KSMU article of Nov. 17, 2025. (KSMU (via KRPS), Nov. 17, 2025)

From agency records.

Ozark Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
Count not documented
KY3 (Feb. 4, 2025) said the city had three plate readers and aldermen would vote on a contract for nine more; outcome not confirmed.
  1. Feb. 2025 Aldermen were set to vote on a contract for nine more license plate readers; the city already had three (KY3). Outcome not found. (KY3, Feb. 4, 2025)
  2. Jan. 2026 At a public gathering on surveillance cameras, Ozark police outlined their Flock policies, and Police Chief Justin Arnold said the department's disciplinary policy covers any officer misuse. Dated by month: KY3 (Jan. 15, 2026) does not give the gathering date. (KY3, Jan. 15, 2026)

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Christian County Sheriff's Office

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
  1. Jan. 2026 The sheriff's office outlined its Flock policies at a public gathering on surveillance cameras. Dated by month: KY3 (Jan. 15, 2026) does not give the gathering date. (KY3, Jan. 15, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • KY3 does not give camera counts or contract details.

Secondhand report; not yet confirmed with the agency.

Statewide

  1. 2024 SB 1334, sponsored by Sen. Bill Eigel in the 2024 session, proposed a new section 590.1100 RSMo barring state agencies and political subdivisions from buying, installing or using plate-reader systems or using captured plate data from public highways, except readers mounted on vehicles occupied by a peace officer and data captured by third-party vendors under sections 303.420 to 303.440. (Missouri Senate, date not shown)
  2. Jan. 2024 Sen. Mike Cierpiot (R-Lee's Summit) filed SB 1377 for the 2024 session to stop state agencies and local governments from buying, installing or operating automated license plate readers or collecting plate data from vehicles on public roads; readers on police vehicles and third-party data access for law enforcement were exempt. Missourinet reported March 4, 2024, that a Senate committee vote might come soon; the Post-Dispatch (via GovTech, Aug. 2024) later said the bill did not advance. (Missourinet, March 4, 2024; GovTech (republishing St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Aug. 12, 2024)
  3. Aug. 1, 2024 A state contract with Flock Safety covering 21 more license plate readers, worth $243,750, took effect Aug. 1, 2024, according to bidding documents cited by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The paper said the state's 2023 program put 43 readers in 11 mostly rural counties in mid-Missouri. The article quotes a Department of Public Safety spokesman but does not say which agency holds the contract. (GovTech (republishing St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Aug. 12, 2024)
  4. Jan. 8, 2025 HB 658, a 2025 bill from Rep. Jeff Vernetti (R-Camdenton) that KCUR described as a statewide ban on installing or using automated license plate readers, was prefiled Dec. 23, 2024, read the first time Jan. 8, 2025, read a second time Jan. 9, and referred to the House Emerging Issues committee May 15, 2025, its last action. Sen. Mike Moon filed a Senate version. (Missouri House of Representatives, date not shown; KCUR / The Midwest Newsroom, Sept. 23, 2026)
  5. Oct. 2, 2025 Gov. Mike Kehoe announced nearly $10 million in Blue Shield grants to 201 communities (60 counties, 137 cities, four towns); the governor's office said the awards include 151 license plate readers. Individual recipients were not listed in the release. (Office of Missouri Governor, Oct. 2, 2025)
  6. 2026 SB 1027 (Sen. Rick Brattin), filed in the 2026 session, proposed a new section 590.1000 RSMo barring state agencies and political subdivisions from buying, installing or using plate-reader systems on public highways, with exceptions for readers on vehicles occupied by peace officers and certain third-party vendor data. The legislature adjourned May 15, 2026 without passing it. (Missouri Senate, date not shown)
  7. Feb. 4, 2026 Rep. LaKeySha Bosley (D-St. Louis) introduced HB 3192, the Missouri Automatic License Plate Reader Regulation Act. It would limit police use to criminal investigations with reasonable suspicion and missing/endangered-person cases, bar general surveillance, immigration and civil code enforcement, require destruction of most data after 30 days, require reporting to the Highway Patrol starting Jan. 1, 2027, and make misuse a class A misdemeanor (class E felony for repeat offenses). It was read a second time Feb. 5 and referred to the Emerging Issues committee May 15, 2026; it never received a hearing. (Missouri House of Representatives, date not shown; Missouri House of Representatives, date not shown; Missouri House of Representatives, date not shown; KMOV (First Alert 4), Feb. 18, 2026; KCUR / The Midwest Newsroom, Sept. 23, 2026)
  8. Sept. 16, 2026 Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order (Spectrum News refers to it as EO 26-18) putting temporary limits on plate readers used by state agencies and law enforcement that receives state money. In most cases plate and vehicle records have to be erased for good within 30 days; vendors cannot sell, pass along or profit from data gathered in Missouri; the readers may be used only for criminal-justice or life-saving work and cannot be paired with AI facial recognition; and misuse leads to discipline, a possible criminal referral and a report to the Public Safety director. Local departments were urged, not required, to follow the same practices. Kehoe framed the order as a temporary step until the legislature passes a law. (KY3, Sept. 16, 2026; St. Louis Public Radio, Sept. 16, 2026; Spectrum News, Sept. 16, 2026; Spectrum News, Oct. 1, 2026)
  9. Sept. 30, 2026 The Missouri Department of Public Safety released a 10-page guidance document for law enforcement as directed by the executive order. It recommends a documented law-enforcement purpose for every search, individual accountability for users, independent verification of alerts before enforcement, retention generally limited to 30 days, audits at least monthly, and no AI facial-recognition integration. DPS said it was working with chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors on legislation for the next session. (KY3 / KCTV, Sept. 30, 2026; Spectrum News, Oct. 1, 2026)

State agencies

Missouri State Highway Patrol

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
6
KY3 (Sept. 16, 2026) reported the Patrol runs six Flock cameras, contracted through the Department of Public Safety, and already keeps data 30 days. Separately, a state Flock contract added 21 readers in 2024 after 43 were placed in 11 mid-Missouri counties in 2023 (Post-Dispatch via GovTech); that report does not name the operating agency.
Contract
Flock Safety: $243,750 term · from Aug. 1, 2024 · approved by Missouri Department of Public Safety (state contract; per bidding documents reported by St. Louis Post-Dispatch) · Covers 21 additional readers. The article does not name the operating agency; KCTV5 (Sept. 2026) reports the Patrol contracts for Flock cameras through DPS. (GovTech (republishing St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Aug. 12, 2024; KCTV5, Sept. 16, 2026)
  1. Sept. 16, 2026 KCTV5 and KY3 reported that the Patrol contracts for Flock cameras through the Department of Public Safety and uses them to track stolen cars. KY3 said the Patrol runs six cameras, already keeps data for 30 days, and did not have to make immediate changes under the governor's order. (KCTV5, Sept. 16, 2026; KY3, Sept. 16, 2026)
  2. Sept. 30, 2026 DPS issued statewide plate-reader guidance under the governor's executive order; DPS Director Mark James named the Patrol among the groups consulted. (Spectrum News, Oct. 1, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Hotlists on at least one St. Louis County Flock portal (Chesterfield) list MULES (MSHP) as a source; this reflects the Patrol's criminal-records network, not Patrol-owned cameras.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.