Support for this edition comes from Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA), helping Greater Lafayette businesses successfully transition to their next generation of ownership. Through two program tracks, ETA helps aspiring business owners explore the purchase of an existing business while helping current owners plan thoughtfully for an eventual transition. Participants gain practical education, resources, and connections to help them make informed decisions about what comes next. ETA is a collaboration between Greater Lafayette Commerce, MatchBOX Coworking Studio, and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Learn more about the program and Oct. 14 kickoff sessions at https://mbxax.studio/upcomingcohorts
WEST LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL LOOKS AT TIGHTENING RULES ON FLOCK CAMERAS
After several months of fielding pushback over the use automated license plate readers in the city, the West Lafayette City Council next week will consider a measure that would limit how the cameras and data could be used by police.
A proposed resolution, on the agenda for the city council’s Oct. 5 meeting, would limit storage of data collected to seven days, if it’s not tied to an ongoing police investigation, and bar any expansion of the equipment that includes video recording, live feeds or voice files.
The change to a seven-day limit on data storage – down from the 30 days allowed in a 2022 city council resolution – would match the current West Lafayette Police Department policy, as laid out by Chief Adam Ferguson during a standing-room-only community meeting last week at city hall.
The measure up for city council consideration would not do away with the city’s four cameras contracted through Flock Safety. And it would not directly address questions about how the city’s data is handled by third-party contractors, such as Flock.
“Based on what I’ve heard in the public meetings, I don’t believe the (resolution) update will address all of the concerns that some have about how a third party could potentially access data outside of the oversight of the WLPD,” Stacey Burr, one of two council members sponsoring the update to city policies, said. “This is a step in what I anticipate will be further work to address concerns about one of the ALPR vendors and update the data and privacy safeguards of the digital systems we use to improve public safety.”
