LIVINGSTON — A Livingston Parish council member wants to ban Flock cameras from parish right-of-ways.

Councilman Ryan Chavers introduced an ordinance during the last parish council meeting that would prohibit Flock cameras from being placed on parish-owned land and right-of-ways.

A right-of-way is a strip of property along a road owned by the parish, often including ditches and grass along the sides of a road.

"I think it's very important for us as a parish to protect people's privacy rights," Chavers said.

Chavers said the goal is not to eliminate Flock cameras from Livingston Parish, just to keep them off parish property. If passed, he said the ordinance would serve as a precaution to make sure residents don't get the impression that the parish uses the cameras to track private citizens.

"We, as the government, have no dealings with these AI-generated cameras and we definitely want to make sure that your privacy is getting protected," Chavers said.

Chavers said the ordinance would build upon a current parish ordinance banning unauthorized physical structures in parish right-of-ways. He also wants to add an amendment requiring any cameras already in parish right-of-ways to be pulled out and moved somewhere else.

Like many other communities around the nation, Livingston Parish has seen Flock cameras appear in neighborhoods and busy areas. Some residents, like Brittany Polezcek, said the cameras are a welcome addition.

"I feel like it kind of cuts back on the crime. You're able to keep up with the criminals out there that are doing things they shouldn't be doing," said Polezcek.

Polezcek also acknowledged the privacy concerns others have raised about the cameras.

"I can see both sides of it where it can kind of be a little bit invasive," she said.

The ordinance is set to go up for a vote at next week's parish council meeting on Thursday, August 27.