· Peak
Police chief presents camera policy changes to council; ALPR retention cut to 7 days
At the discussion item on the City's use of cameras and a possible city-wide policy, Police Chief Thomas Hover tells council that ALPR data retention will drop from 30 days to seven, supervisors will run monthly random audits of each officer's searches and review flagged searches within three days, Flock data will be shared only with Texas law enforcement agencies, and live body-camera viewing will be limited to supervisors and the Regional Crime Center. Councilmember Les Simpson asks the City to explore an independent third-party audit; Mayor Cole Stanley proposes a council-appointed oversight committee. No vote is reported.[1][2][3][4]
Thomas HoverLes SimpsonCole Stanley
What the sources say
- ✓ Verified
Chief Hover told council on September 8, 2026 that ALPR data retention would drop from 30 days to seven, starting the following week. [3][4][2]
- Retention days before
- 30
- Retention days after
- 7
- ✓ Verified
The other changes presented: supervisors run monthly random audits of each assigned officer's searches and review flagged searches within three days; Amarillo's Flock data is shared only with law enforcement agencies in Texas; and live body-camera viewing is limited to supervisors and the Amarillo Regional Crime Center, with off-duty access ended. [3][4][2]
- ✓ Verified
Thomas Hover, Police Chief: Chief Hover said that over the previous 18 months Flock cameras helped recover 251 stolen vehicles and about $2.7 million in stolen property, make 915 arrests and locate 44 missing people. [3][4]
- Stolen vehicles recovered
- 251
- Arrests
- 915
- Missing people located
- 44
- Stolen property
- $2,700,000
- ✓ Verified
Les Simpson, Councilmember; Cole Stanley, Mayor; Thomas Hover, Police Chief: Councilmember Les Simpson said "the issue is whether government can be trusted to police its own use of the technology without independent oversight" and asked the City to explore an independent third-party audit and a camera policy, keeping only cameras that meet it. Mayor Cole Stanley proposed a council-appointed oversight committee of active, retired or reserve officers and members of the public. Chief Hover recommended that an advisory board evaluate privacy concerns and policy recommendations. [3][2]
- ⚠ Sources differ
Cole Stanley, Mayor: Reports of Mayor Cole Stanley's September 8 remarks on the cameras differ in emphasis.
Reported value 1[2]
- Value
- would consider taking the Flock cameras down
NewsChannel10: Stanley said he would consider taking the cameras down given nationwide pushback and would keep talking with APD and residents.
- ✓ Verified
The September 8 item was listed as a discussion item, and no vote on it was reported. Later posted council records (the August 25 minutes and the September 22 and October 13, 2026 agendas) contain no item on a city-wide camera policy, an oversight committee, the Flock contract or the 29-camera Verkada purchase. [1][6][7][8]