QuickTake:

The cameras have been the subject of months of debate in Eugene. While police have used them to solve crimes, some residents say they’re a violation of privacy.

The city’s 57 license-plate reader cameras will turn off within the next 24 hours, City Manager Sarah Medary said during a Eugene City Council meeting Monday evening, Oct. 13.

The announcement follows the City Council’s unanimous vote last week to recommend she pause the cameras, owned by Atlanta-based surveillance technology company Flock Safety, due to privacy concerns. Police Chief Chris Skinner said on Friday that the cameras couldn’t immediately be disabled, and planned to discuss next steps with Medary on Monday.

Medary said she had worked with Skinner to pause the cameras until the city finalized “contract language” changes and held another City Council work session as soon as possible, maybe mid-November.

“I know that’ll be too much for some and too little for many, and I look forward to just hearing people’s comments on that,” she said. “I am listening to you.”

The announcement was met with applause from meeting attendees, many of whom later spoke during public comment in favor of permanently terminating the city’s contract with Flock.

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Grace Chinowsky graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in journalism. She served as metro editor, senior news editor and editor in chief of the university’s independent student newspaper, The GW Hatchet, and interned at CNN and MSNBC. Grace covers Eugene’s city government and the University of Oregon.