Springfield's council voted 5–3 on Sept. 22 to send a proposed review of its Flock license-plate cameras to committee, preventing a scheduled public hearing. Resident Mia Heider and freelance photographer Noah Powell were both cited; Heider was handcuffed, and Powell detained.
After Mayor Jeff Schrag's referral motion passed, attendees shouted; Schrag paused the meeting, ordered them to leave and directed that cameras recording the proceedings be shut off, according to 404 Media. During a later public-comment period, Heider's microphone was cut. She continued speaking, raised both middle fingers and received a disrupting-the-peace citation; she was released after about five minutes. Powell told 404 Media he had insulted Schrag and planned to contest his citation.
Councilman Brandon Jenson's resolution sought a comprehensive review of Springfield's license-plate reader program, contracts and related policies. Flock systems photograph and read plates, creating records tied to a vehicle's location and scan time; retention periods and law-enforcement access vary by customer policy and applicable law, according to Flock's legal materials. Public databases list 41 to 81 Springfield cameras, but the figures are not definitive. KY3 reported no committee hearing date had been scheduled; available reporting had not established whether either citation was upheld, dismissed or referred for prosecution.
