At Gov. Greg Abbott’s direction, the Texas Department of Transportation suspended the issuance of permits for Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers on state-owned roads.
TxDOT said its role is limited to reviewing permits to ensure license plate readers are installed safely and correctly. The agency noted it does not have access to the data collected by the cameras.
The suspension follows Abbott’s decision in late August to issue a pause on state funding for Flock cameras.
Thousands of Flock cameras operate across Texas, with local governments using the technology to assist law enforcement investigations.
Flock’s automated license plate reader system captures vehicle images and license plate data that participating agencies can search for law enforcement purposes.
Local jurisdictions can share the collected information with other law enforcement agencies, creating a broader network that investigators can use when solving crimes. However, privacy advocates have raised concerns about who has the ability to access and share the data as well as potential Fourth Amendment violations.
