Covington KY fixed ALPR ban + 7-day retention (2026)
Covington, KY — Commission Bans Fixed License Plate Reader Cameras and Drops Cruiser ALPRs in Axon Contract (Sept. 8, 2026)
Covington, KY · City of Covington, KY, Axon contract approval with ALPR amendments (Sept. 8, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- September 8, 2026
- Applies to
- Covington Police Department; Axon (contract vendor)
- Enforced by
- City of Covington, KY
Covington will not use fixed license plate reader cameras like Flock's, and police cars will no longer carry plate readers. Any plate-reader images that are captured may be kept only seven days unless they are part of an active investigation.
Who is protected: Drivers and residents in Covington, KY
Legal detail
City of Covington, KY — Board of Commissioners, Tuesday Sept. 8, 2026 (Spectrum News 1, Sept. 9). Approved 10-year, $6M Axon public-safety contract with last-minute amendment language: (1) prohibits fixed automated license plate reader cameras (e.g., Flock Safety) in Covington; (2) removes four Axon Fleet 3 dash-cam/ALPR units from the contract and discontinues existing Motorola vehicle-mounted ALPR; (3) ALPR images retained only 7 days unless part of an active investigation. Vehicle of action is a contract approval with amendments, not a standalone ordinance; vote count not reported.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Covington, KY |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | September 8, 2026 |
| Citation | City of Covington, KY, Axon contract approval with ALPR amendments (Sept. 8, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Contract terms; none specified |
| Topics | police and surveillance AI · consumer data privacy · data retention |
| News report | Covington drops car-mounted plate readers, bans Flock-style cameras — Spectrum News 1 (Sept. 9, 2026) |
Related police and surveillance AI rules elsewhere
- NAACP v. xAI (Colossus 2 Air Pollution) · Blocked / in litigation
- Chatrie v. United States (Fourth Amendment protection for location… · Blocked / in litigation
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Huntington WV Flock contract approved 6-4 (Jul. 14, 2026) · In effect
- ACLU-WV v. Huntington (Flock contract mandamus) · Blocked / in litigation
- Minneapolis rejects Skydio DFR contract 6-6 (Jul. 16, 2026) · In effect
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