Marty Stuart
Marty Stuart
Bland, Wythe law enforcement announce end of use of camera system
This Flock Safety camera is at work in Rural Retreat.
Public outcry raising constitutional concerns around Flock Safety Camera Systems prompted law enforcement in Bland and Wythe counties to announce the suspension of use of the devices.
Bland County Sheriff Jason Ramsey kicked off the de-Flocking, posting on social media that he had decided on July 11 to top the use of Flock Systems.
Ramsey noted that his office was awarded a HEAT grant from the Virginia State Police to cover the cost of three cameras last year. The sheriff said that in the period they were in use the cameras helped recover one stolen vehicle and locate one missing elderly person.
“I felt the low recovery rate of stolen vehicles and that the ever-changing legal and constitutional questions that might arise in the future, that the use of Flock Cameras was not beneficial for Bland County,” Ramsey wrote.
The sheriff sent a work order to Flock to have the cameras removed.
Shortly after Ramsey’s social media post, Wythe County Sheriff Anthony Cline announced that he was also ending his department’s contract with Flock Safety.
Cline said the decision wasn’t made lightly, adding that the four Flock cameras operated by the Sheriff’s Office have been helpful in solving cases in Wythe County.
“My responsibility goes beyond using tools that help us solve crimes,” Cline wrote. “The use of automated license plate reader technology raises important and evolving questions about privacy, data collection, information sharing, and the constitutional rights of citizens who have not been accused of a crime.”
On Sept. 2, Wytheville Police Chief Joel Hash said his department would also suspend use of the automated plate reader system.
“Our primary mission is to protect and serve the citizens of Wytheville while upholding the trust and constitutional rights of our community,” Hash wrote. “While automated license plate readers have served as a helpful investigative tool for identifying stolen vehicles and resolving cases, public trust and constitutional accountability must always take precedence.”
Echoing sentiments express by Cline, Hash noted that public safety extends beyond solving crime.
Hash said that all devices connected to the system were immediately deactivated, with access by all agencies being suspended.
The chief pointed out that the cameras are owned by Flock Safety, and while an order to take down had been submitted there is no timeline on when they would be removed. To prevent the cameras from still recording and capturing passing vehicles, the town’s Public Works department covered the lenses.
The town system made use of four Flock cameras in total.
Answering questions about the move, Hash said cameras at traffic lights are not license plate reading equipment, and are owned by VDOT, used solely to detect vehicles and control traffic signal cycles.
Prior to the announcements from Hash and Cline, the website deflock.org, showed 12 cameras in Wythe County; however, three of those were in the shopping center near Lowe’s.
Council re-visits Monroe Street work
Wytheville Town Council on Aug. 24 took a new look work along Monroe Street, prompted by a call from Council Member Holly Atkins to fill the grass area of the bump outs with concrete.
Atkins argued that having grass in the bump outs presents a danger to town workers who have to mow the areas.
Interim Town Manager Christopher Slemp told the town that the Virginia Department of Transportation had no recommendation on grass or concrete, adding that the cost to fill the bump out area with concrete would be between $1,700 and $1,800.
Council Member Cathy Pattison favored keeping the grass, noting that it will absorb some water, whereas concrete doesn’t. She pointed out that the town had spent a lot of time and money addressing the issue of speeding on Monroe, adding that the town had followed VDOT’s recommendations and traffic had slowed down.
The water issue troubled Council Member Joseph Hand, who asked that the engineering department visit the Monroe Street area and make a recommendation. Hand argued that the island was a mistake, saying water is diverted out and into the street, rather than going under the bump out.
Assistant Town Manager Elaine Holeton said she could work with VDOT to see if the bump out areas were correctly installed.
The Monroe Street bump-outs were installed as streetscape improvements designed to define pedestrian areas, enhance the appearance of the corridor and provide separation between pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Council tabled the decision, waiting to hear back from VDOT and the town engineer.
Wytheville housing survey open through Sept. 15
There is no place like home, but finding the right home continues to be a challenge in housing markets across Virginia.
A recent study sponsored by Mount Rogers Planning District Commission (Comprehensive Housing Analysis, Wythe County, Virginia, April 2026) sums up housing concerns. In Wythe County, home prices rose by 76.8% between 2019 and 2025. Rental housing vacancy rates are at or near zero across all segments. New home construction is not keeping up with demand and over one half of Wythe County’s occupied units are categorized as “aging housing stock” and were built prior to 1980.
As part of the “One Wytheville 2040” effort to rewrite the Town of Wytheville Comprehensive Plan, town leaders are concerned about housing. The Town is conducting research on the town’s housing market, and a critical piece of this research is to hear directly from the Town’s citizens.
The Town is hosting an online housing survey at https://engagekh.mysocialpinpoint.com/one-wytheville until September 15. The survey results will be used to draft housing policy and strategies which will be used to help address the Town’s housing challenges.
It is vitally important that citizens take the survey and share their personal experiences with housing selection, housing conditions, housing availability and other housing challenges.
Individuals who do not have access to a computer or digital content may contact the Director of Planning at 276-223-3352 who can assist with survey submission and answer any questions or concerns related to the One Wytheville 2040 project.
Over the course of the year, regular updates will be available at the One Wytheville 2040 project website in addition to the town’s home page https://www.wytheville.org/index
