Governor Greg Abbott has ordered all state agencies to halt funding for Flock cameras, the AI-powered license plate readers that have become the focus of nationwide privacy concerns. The directive, issued Thursday night, came as The Texas Tribune was preparing to publish an investigation revealing that Texas spent at least $30 million building the state’s Flock surveillance network.
The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, a board mostly appointed by Abbott, has funded the installation of at least 3,200 Flock cameras since 2023 through grants to local police departments. The authority’s spending came from a 2023 law that added $1 to Texas auto insurance policies to combat catalytic converter theft; lawmakers told the Tribune there had been no discussion of using those funds for Flock cameras before the law passed unanimously.
Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris said in a statement that state agencies are clarifying that their funds cannot be used for Flock cameras going forward. “To the extent that cities get any funding for those cameras, most of it comes from the federal government,” Mahaleris said. The Department of Public Safety operates nearly 1,200 of the cameras through a three-year, $15.9 million contract with the authority.
Flock cameras are automated license plate readers that use artificial intelligence to capture and store vehicle characteristics including make, model, color, bumper stickers, and dents. Law enforcement agencies using Flock can allow other departments to access their devices, creating a massive nationwide network that enables searches across state lines.
Misuse Cases Fuel the Crackdown
Abbott’s order follows a surge in reported misuse cases across Texas. A Lufkin police officer, Zachary Anthony Klein, was indicted on 100 counts of misuse of official information after allegedly using Flock cameras to surveil 11 people for more than a year, including searches of an ex-girlfriend’s vehicle more than 10,000 times. At least six police departments and sheriff’s offices across Texas have announced in the past month that officers were being placed on leave, investigated, or criminally charged.
In a radio interview Friday, Abbott described a “crackdown” happening across Texas as cities and counties have begun canceling contracts with Flock Safety. “This is something that is easily containable, easily controllable, and we’re ensuring that whether it be through criminal crackdowns, whether it be through cancellation of contracts, whatever the case may be, Flock cameras are being reduced dramatically,” Abbott said on Glenn Beck’s program. “They’re going to be required to be used responsibly if they’re used at all.”
The backlash against Flock has emerged as a rare point of agreement across the political spectrum. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa released an ad blaming Abbott for the spread of Flock cameras, calling them a method of “warrantless surveillance.” Republican U.S. Rep. Keith Self of McKinney proposed legislation in July requiring federal agencies to obtain warrants before accessing Flock data, arguing that Americans’ Fourth Amendment privacy rights do not disappear with new technology.
Flock Safety responded to the pause with a statement supporting “thoughtful legislation” with privacy guardrails. The company announced privacy updates in mid-August, cutting data retention from 30 days to 7 days and adding audit tools to detect misuse. However, critics argue that legislative action remains necessary to fully address surveillance concerns.
Sources
- The Texas Tribune — Investigation and reporting on Abbott’s order, the $30 million in state funding, the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority’s role, and details of the Lufkin officer’s indictment and other misuse cases
- The Hill — Reporting on Abbott’s order and privacy concerns
- KLTV — Details on Lufkin officer Zachary Anthony Klein’s indictment on 100 counts
- Fox News — Abbott’s order and privacy concerns surrounding Flock cameras
- ACLU — Privacy and civil liberties concerns regarding Flock surveillance technology
