Pueblo City Council postpones vote on auto theft grant tied to license plate reader data sharing

Event: August 24, 2026 · First reported: August 28, 2026 · 2 sources

On Aug. 24, Pueblo City Council voted 6-1 to postpone action on an ordinance accepting a Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority grant agreement that includes the sharing of automated license plate reader data. Councilor Selena Ruiz-Gomez proposed delaying the vote until a Sept. 14 regular meeting so it would follow a Sept. 8 work session on the ALPR provisions. Residents who spoke against the ordinance raised concerns about civil liberties, data sharing by Gentec — which community organizer Marisa Lopez said has built more than half the ALPRs in and near the city — and the potential for cameras to be used for stalking or unjust prosecution. Mayor Heather Graham said there are "misconceptions" about the technology, stating that data in city systems is owned by Pueblo, shared only under Pueblo Police Department policies, and that system access is logged and audited.

Why this matters

The delay shows how grant agreements — often approved as routine budget items — can become the point at which a community first debates surveillance data sharing, and how councils may insert work sessions before committing.

Key facts

Six of seven council members voted on Aug. 24 to postpone the vote on the CAPTA grant ordinance.
The vote was rescheduled for a Sept. 14 regular meeting, following a Sept. 8 work session on ALPR use.
Organizer Marisa Lopez said Gentec has built over 50% of ALPRs in and near Pueblo city limits.
Mayor Heather Graham said all data in city systems is owned by Pueblo and access is logged and audited under police department policies.
Speakers' concerns about stalking and unjust prosecution were allegations raised in public comment, not established findings.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Pueblo City Council delays vote over automated license plate readers (AOL.com, August 28, 2026)
Pueblo City Council delays vote over automated license plate readers (Pueblo Chieftain, August 28, 2026)

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BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.

Updated August 31, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.