Government
City adds 40 more license plate cameras Round Rock City Council unanimously approved a contract with Flock Safety, a security hardware and software manufacturer, to increase the num- ber of automatic license plate readers, or ALPRs, in the city at its meeting June 12. The history Right now, Round Rock utilizes 30 fixed cameras through Flock. The city has used license plate readers for crime prevention for 15 years, Police Chief Allen Banks said. Despite criticisms of the technology, Banks said the license plate readers have helped in “high-pro- file cases” such as a shooting at Round Rock’s Juneteenth celebration in 2024. The details Of the 40 additional cameras, 30 will be mobile throughout the region, and 10 will be in fixed
Parakeets damage historic water tower The city of Round Rock is preparing for repairs to its historic water tower after invasive monk parakeets caused damage to its lighting system. The current situation Round Rock’s Parks and Recreation Department installed deterrents to prevent further nesting and chewing on the tower. The city has ordered new tank lights, totaling $35,500, which should arrive within the next few weeks, Communications Director Sara Bustilloz said. How we got here Monk parakeets arrived in the U.S. as pets, and over time many escaped or were released into the wild, creating populations sometimes as common as pigeons.
“These aren’t for tracking folks. It doesn’t tell me if you’re an illegal person here in the United States. It doesn’t tell me your religion. It doesn’t tell me your sex orientation. That’s
not what it’s set up for.” ALLEN BANKS, POLICE CHIEF
locations throughout the city. Police will place the fixed cameras in “high-crime areas,” Banks said. Flock’s license plate reading software is able to identify vehicle information, including license plate numbers, car details and visible markings like bumper stickers. RRPD will only be able to read from the rear license plate, and will retain the data for 30 days before it purges. In order to find information on the owner of a vehicle, police personnel would need to use an outside resource like the Department of Motor Vehicles.
HEAT SAFETY ON THE GO
Never leave a child or pet in a parked car.
Travel during cooler times of day when possible, and let your car cool down before driving long distances.
Just like you, vehicles need protection from the heat.
Be prepared for emergencies.
The Mobility Authority wishes you a safe summer. Together, let’s beat the heat. www.MobilityAuthority.com
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