TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Amid rising online concerns over public surveillance, the Tyler Police Department is defending its use of license plate reader technology, calling it a vital, legally compliant tool for solving local crimes.

Police Chief Jimmy Toler said the department has utilized stationary and mobile cameras provided by Flock Safety for four to five years, though the city has used license plate recognition technology on municipal vehicles for much longer."It's not a new technology," Toler said in an interview.

"It's just a technology that's more prominent nowadays because the costs have come down."The department currently controls nine Flock cameras - seven stationary and two mobile "flex" cameras that are moved to high-crime areas to identify suspect vehicles.