The Texas Department of Transportation has suspended approvals for Flock Safety license plate readers and similar devices along state-owned roadways, adding to growing scrutiny of automated surveillance technology in Texas and across the country.
The move comes amid concerns over privacy, data sharing and documented cases in which law enforcement officers have misused automated license plate reader systems.
“TxDOT’s role is to review permits to ensure license plate readers are installed correctly and safely along state-owned roadways,” an agency spokesperson said. “TxDOT does not have access to the data collected from the license plate readers, and these cameras are placed at the request of law enforcement.”
“Under the direction of Governor Greg Abbott, TxDOT has suspended issuing approvals for Flock cameras or similar devices installed by third parties in our ROW [public roadways],” the spokesperson continued.
The action follows an August directive from Gov. Greg Abbott blocking state agencies from spending money on Flock cameras. The Texas Department of Public Safety, however, has continued operating its existing network. The Texas Tribune reported earlier this month that DPS operates hundreds of the cameras and that its network is routinely searched by other law enforcement agencies around the country.
Flock Safety's technology uses automated license plate readers and artificial intelligence to collect information about passing vehicles. The system allows law enforcement to search for license plates as well as vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color.
Supporters say the technology gives police another tool for locating stolen vehicles, finding missing people and identifying vehicles connected to crimes. Critics have raised concerns about the scale of the networks, how information is shared among agencies and the possibility that the systems can be used to track people who are not suspected of crimes.
Texas is not alone in reconsidering the technology.
Florida recently revoked permits for automated license plate readers on state highway rights-of-way and stopped issuing new permits. The Florida Department of Transportation cited increasing deployment of the systems along with reports of misuse, privacy concerns and surveillance practices.
The issue has also created an unusual political divide as officials debate whether the crime-fighting benefits outweigh the privacy risks.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has warned against creating what he called a “digital AI surveillance state where everything we’re doing is being tracked at all times.”
President Donald Trump has taken a different position. Asked about Flock cameras and their use by law enforcement, Trump said he supported the technology while acknowledging the privacy debate.
“No, I sort of like them because of that, because of law enforcement. But some people don’t. They think it’s an infringement,” Trump said, later adding, “I like them.”
The debate is unlikely to end with restrictions on where cameras can be installed. Thousands of automated license plate readers are already operating around Texas, and law enforcement agencies can share access to information across jurisdictions. The Texas Tribune found that nearly half of roughly 615,000 searches of the DPS Flock network during June came from outside Texas.
