Texas city weighs eliminating Flock cameras and future use
The short version: El Paso may join at least 20 other Texas communities dropping Flock Safety, signaling growing bipartisan pushback against ALPR surveillance statewide.
Our Take
Chron's reporting on El Paso's Flock reconsideration is worth watching closely, because Texas has quietly become ground zero for the backlash against automated license plate readers. Twenty-plus communities walking away from these contracts isn't a fluke — it's a pattern. When police departments and city councils start reading the fine print on data sharing, retention, and who else gets access to that scan history, the shine wears off fast.
What makes El Paso notable is the size and visibility of the city. Big departments pulling back sends a different signal than a small town letting a pilot program lapse quietly. It tells other Texas municipalities currently in Flock talks that they're allowed to ask harder questions before signing on the dotted line, and it gives local reporters and residents cover to push for public hearings instead of rubber-stamp approvals.
Credit to Chron for tracking this story as it develops. If you want to see whether cameras are already watching your streets, check our map, and if your city is in the middle of a Flock decision, our take-action page has what you need to make your voice heard before the contract is signed, not after.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Chron, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.