Ocean Shores officials say new Axon LPR cameras are installed but not yet live; department stresses audit controls

Committee members and residents raised privacy questions about the new Axon license-plate reader (LPR) cameras and how the data will be used. Chief Vesco said the LPRs and fleet cameras are installed but are not yet producing live data for the department; "it is not producing any data for us right now," she said, and the department has an outstanding call to Axon to determine next steps.

Vesco described technical safeguards and the department's intended communications plan. She said the system's audit trails record who accessed footage and that currently cameras are angled "so far that the only thing you're seeing is the back end of the car and the tag," adding the live rollout will be accompanied by outreach on the city's webpage and social media so "people know, 'Hey, this is going to go live on such and such date.'"