Knox County
Public debates often hear from the people and organizations with the time, resources, and experience to attend meetings, organize campaigns, and navigate local government.
Those voices matter. But they are not the only voices that matter.
In Knox County, TN, Neighbors for Strong Communities partnered with Flock Safety to help residents share how crime, unsafe driving, and neighborhood safety concerns have affected their lives — and what they want local leaders to consider as they make decisions about public safety technology.
The stories below came from real Knox County residents.
My mother's house was robbed, and four generations of family jewelry were stolen. It was so much loss, with no justice for my mom.
Behind every crime statistic is a person or family living with the consequences. For this resident, the loss was not only financial. It included irreplaceable pieces of family history and the lasting feeling that no one was held accountable.
A young man tried to come through our front door one night. Luckily, my husband was home. They went next door and stole the neighbor's car.
This resident described the fear of someone attempting to enter their home at night — and the realization that another family nearby became the next victim.
We had a home invasion, and they were captured using license plate reader technology. Otherwise, they would have gotten away.
For this family, license plate reader technology was not an abstract policy question. It helped law enforcement identify and capture the people responsible for a home invasion.
A murder suspect was tracked to our neighborhood using license plate reader technology, where he was taken into custody.
The same resident explained why the technology felt personally important:
“If my child were ever to go missing, I would hope we had license plate reader technology to locate them quickly.”
A driver lost control on our 25-mile-per-hour street, destroyed a flowerbed, and tore a light pole out of the ground, leaving exposed wires. I was so grateful no one was walking a dog or pushing a baby. Thank God nobody was hurt or killed.
Public safety concerns are not limited to burglary or theft. Residents also described reckless driving and dangerous incidents that could easily have ended in tragedy.
I have personally witnessed people passing school buses that had stopped to let children off.
For parents and neighbors, roadway safety is about protecting children during ordinary moments — walking home, getting off the bus, or crossing a neighborhood street.
Someone stole my pickup truck. I never heard a word from anybody.
This brief account captures something many victims described: not only the loss of property, but the frustration of feeling that nothing happened afterward.
My sister's car was stolen. It was located because of license plate cameras.
Residents shared several examples of technology helping recover stolen property, develop investigative leads, or identify suspects who otherwise may not have been found.
My business is deeply affected by shoplifting.
Small business owners often experience crime differently. Repeated theft can affect employees, customers, operating costs, and whether a neighborhood business can continue serving its community.
Knox County residents did not describe public safety and privacy as an all-or-nothing choice.
One participant put it this way:
“We don't have to choose between public safety and individual rights. We can support technology that helps protect our communities while also insisting on transparency and responsible use.”
Another said:
“I see the need, provided that privacy is protected.”
Neighbors supports the responsible use of public safety technology alongside meaningful safeguards, transparency, oversight, and accountability.
Communities should be able to pursue safety without abandoning privacy or public trust.
Neighbors for Strong Communities exists to help everyday people participate in the public decisions that affect their lives — especially people who care deeply about their communities but may not have the time, resources, or experience to navigate traditional advocacy channels.
A working parent may not be able to attend a long public meeting. A small business owner may not have time to draft testimony. A crime victim may not know which local official to contact or how to tell their story effectively.
That does not make their experiences less important.
This campaign made it easier for Knox County residents to:
Every participant remained in control of their own message and their own decision to act.
Neighbors partnered with Flock Safety because we shared a belief that people directly affected by crime and public safety decisions deserve a meaningful voice in the conversation.
Flock Safety brought experience with public safety technology. Neighbors independently designed and managed the resident-engagement campaign, helping Knox County residents share their experiences directly with local decision-makers.
The partnership was built around a simple principle:
Public officials should hear from the people who live with the consequences of crime — not only from institutions, professional advocates, or the people able to attend every meeting.
Residents were invited to answer a short series of questions about their experiences, priorities, and views.
Technology helped organize those responses into a clear draft, but it did not replace the participant's voice.
Each person:
Neighbors did not invent participants' stories or send messages without their knowledge and approval.
This was an advocacy campaign supporting the responsible use of license plate reader technology, but we also listened to people who disagreed or remained undecided.
Residents who opposed the technology were invited to explain their concerns. Undecided residents were asked what information, protections, or safeguards would matter to them.
We believe strong advocacy includes listening.
Understanding concerns about privacy, oversight, data use, and accountability can help communities develop stronger policies and maintain public trust.
Technology played a role in this campaign, but it was never the point.
These are real people with real experiences. Whether someone ultimately agrees with every policy position or not, their voices deserve a place in the decisions shaping their community.
Real people. Real stories. Real impact.