League City Council gave initial approval Tuesday, Sept. 22, to a new resident-led committee that would audit the city's 55 Flock license plate reader cameras.

The proposed Citizen Data Privacy Committee would oversee how the League City Police Department uses the camera system. The city referred to it as a “Citizen Audit Committee” in a Sept. 24 announcement, but the proposed ordinance and council agenda use “Citizen Data Privacy Committee.” A second and final vote is expected at the council’s Oct. 13 meeting, according to Houston Public Media.

The five-member panel would include three residents appointed by council members, along with Mayor Nick Long and the city auditor, according to the proposed ordinance as reported by Houston Public Media. Committee members would review monthly or quarterly audit reports of the Flock system, field public concerns and recommend changes to privacy protections and data security.

The committee will not have direct access to the cameras or the Flock system itself. Members will review the audit trail to verify that officers are using the system appropriately and that data is stored and disposed of properly, Long told Houston Public Media.

"I think there's an important check and balance just to make sure that everybody knows that it's not just us auditing ourselves that an independent group is also looking at it," Long told Houston Public Media on Sept. 22.

The city is looking for applicants with backgrounds in IT and law enforcement, as well as other community members, according to a city announcement. Once the ordinance receives final approval, the city will issue a formal call for residents to apply.

The committee would meet at least monthly during its first year. Citizen members would serve staggered two-year terms.

The panel's future is tied to the Nov. 3 ballot. Voters will weigh in on Proposition A, a nonbinding advisory question asking whether League City should continue using automated license plate readers on public roadways. The city’s official ballot language asks whether the police department should continue using the cameras at fixed locations on public roadways for law enforcement purposes.

The council voted unanimously Aug. 11 to place the question on the ballot. If official election results show a majority prefers discontinuing the Flock system, the proposed ordinance says the committee would dissolve.

LCPD has 55 active Flock cameras. The department said the system aided 305 criminal investigations over the previous 12 months, including homicides, robberies, assaults, burglaries and thefts, KHOU reported.

Houston Public Media reported that the second vote is expected Oct. 13. As of Sept. 24, an Oct. 13 council agenda had not yet been posted on the city’s public meeting calendar.

Residents can watch council meetings and submit public comment through the city's website.