Cheltenham Township has canceled plans to buy a $35,000 AI-powered Packetalk camera because it includes an automatic license plate reader, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The board of commissioners had approved the purchase of the camera in September to to deter crime at the La Mott Community Center construction site, but residents told officials before September’s vote that the camera has a license-plate reading technology.

“I misspoke in stating that the cameras do not have Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) and Artificial Intelligence technology, when in fact they do,” township manager Jonathan Altshul wrote in an October 5 memo. “Upon learning of my error, I asked staff not to purchase the surveillance trailer.”

Board President Matthew Areman and other officials reportedly said that they didn’t intend to use the camera as a license plate reader.

In August, Abington Township’s Board of Commissioners voted to replace Flock Safety surveillance cameras due to data safety and privacy concerns. The three-camera system’s replacement, Axon Outpost TAP Plan, was approved for a five-year contract, though Flock Safety’s current contract with the township runs through 2028.

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