A missing Searcy County man was found safe Sunday evening thanks to a Silver Alert and the use of Flock camera technology, according to local law enforcement.
The Searcy County Sheriff's Office issued the alert shortly after 6 p.m. for 79-year-old Billy Allen Sellers. Sellers left his home early Sunday morning around 6 a.m., heading to a relative’s house in Springdale, but he did not arrive as expected. Authorities located him safely in Hot Springs Village, roughly two and a half hours from his intended destination, just before 7 p.m.
Sheriff Kenny Cassell attributed the successful recovery to data provided by the Flock camera system. The system uses license plate-reading technology to track vehicles, which allowed investigators to pinpoint Sellers’ location. Sheriff Cassell noted that the cameras assisted as intended in this case.
The sheriff acknowledged some public reservations about Flock cameras but emphasized their focused use in instances like this. "We understand there is pushback," Cassell said, "but they are only used for their intended purpose."
The sheriff’s office has taken steps to address transparency concerns. For the past two months, its website has included a report detailing usage of the Flock camera system in Searcy County, including the number of searches conducted and information on authorized access.
Sellers’ safe recovery highlighted the value of combining modern technology with community safety measures in time-sensitive investigations.