License plate reading cameras approved in Tusculum

Tusculum drivers will see permanent license plate readers following a successful 90-day trial. The City Board of Mayor and Commissioners approved a year-long contract to keep four Genetec cameras tracking major entry points, including East Andrew Johnson Highway, Erwin Highway, and Shiloh Road. Tusculum Police Chief Danny Greene says the technology helped crack cases that might have otherwise gone cold, including tracking an armed robbery suspect from nearby Greeneville. The cameras snap photos of plates and cross-reference them with the National Crime Information Center database to flag stolen vehicles, sex offenders, and active AMBER alerts. Chief Greene emphasized that the system does not use AI, and data is strictly managed by three certified officers for active investigations.