More than 60 Flock cameras in Harris County’s Precinct 4 to be decommissioned, Commissioner Lesley Briones says
More than 60 Flock Safety cameras in Harris County’s Precinct 4 will be decommissioned and covered after residents raised concerns about outside agency access and improper searches, Commissioner Lesley Briones said Thursday.
The cameras at parks and other facilities across the precinct capture real-time images of vehicles passing by for Flock’s automated license plate reader network. Briones said the devices are already offline.
“These Precinct 4 cameras are offline,” Briones said in a statement. “These cameras can be useful tools, but private ownership of the data and the use of AI present serious issues.”
Briones said residents in Precinct 4, which covers a large portion of western Harris County, had raised questions about who else could access the camera data and about reports that authorized users had conducted improper searches.
The announcement affects the county’s broader contract with Flock Safety. Hundreds of Flock cameras are spread across Harris County, and residents have repeatedly spoken out against renewing the county’s agreement with the company this year.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo raised questions about that contract during a Sept. 17 commissioners court meeting. The county has renewed its contract with Flock three times since 2023. Under the agreement, several county departments, including precinct offices, constable offices and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, can access information collected by the system.
Hidalgo has directed the county administration office to prepare a report on automated license plate reader technology and how it is used in Harris County. Commissioners can terminate or amend the county’s contract.
A discussion about Flock cameras is scheduled for the Oct. 15 commissioners court meeting, Hidalgo said earlier this month.
The county’s review follows a recent misuse case involving the sheriff’s office. In August, three Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies were suspended from accessing license plate reader technology after allegedly misusing the Flock system.
The sheriff’s office manages 20 Flock camera networks owned by entities such as municipal utility districts and neighborhood associations, according to a news release about the suspensions.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has acknowledged both the investigative value of the technology and the risk of abuse.
“The license plate readers have thwarted kidnapping attempts, led to the quick apprehension of armed robbery crews, and helped recover countless stolen vehicles, but as with any powerful new public safety tool, this technology is subject to abuse,” Gonzalez said in an earlier statement.
Briones said the decision to take the Precinct 4 cameras out of service came after those resident concerns surfaced.
