Texas Gov. Abbott blocks state agencies from spending money on Flock cameras

Gov. [KSAT 12]

# Article Body

Gov. Greg Abbott moved to cut state financial support for Flock Safety cameras Thursday night as concerns about the surveillance technology's misuse intensified across Texas. A spokesman for the Republican governor confirmed the directive Friday, stating that state agencies must cease directing money toward the license plate reader cameras while clarifying existing funds cannot support their deployment.

The decision came as The Texas Tribune prepared to release an investigation revealing that a state authority had allocated at least $30 million in grants to help local and regional law enforcement agencies purchase and install more than 3,200 of the devices since 2023. The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, which Abbott appoints members to lead, distributed these grants through funding derived from a 2023 state law that imposed a $1 surcharge on auto insurance policies specifically intended to address widespread catalytic converter theft.

Lawmakers said the original legislation passed without discussion of using the money for Flock cameras or similar surveillance tools. According to Abbott's spokesman Andrew Mahaleris, most municipal funding for the devices comes from federal sources, and state agencies were simply clarifying that Texas money would not flow to the project going forward.

Flock's technology uses artificial intelligence to scan license plates and catalog vehicle details such as color, make and model alongside identifying marks like bumper stickers and visible damage. The system enables law enforcement agencies to share camera feeds with other departments across state lines, creating a nationwide surveillance network accessible to multiple jurisdictions.

The governor characterized the situation as manageable during a radio appearance Friday morning, noting that Texas communities have begun terminating contracts with Flock Safety amid resident concerns over privacy. He pointed to mounting evidence of abuse, including a Lufkin officer charged with 100 counts of misusing government information after allegedly surveilling 11 individuals using Flock cameras over more than one year. At least six additional police and sheriff's departments announced within the previous month that officers faced suspension, investigation or criminal charges related to the surveillance system.