Katy, TX Police Select 22 Flock Safety License Plate Readers to Help Solve Crime

Our Take

Notice who's telling this story: the video comes straight from Flock Safety's own channel, repackaging a local TV hit that reads more like a product testimonial than journalism. "Help solve crime" is the company's tagline, not an independent finding, and there's no discussion of retention periods, who can query the data, or whether Katy's network links up with the thousands of other Flock cameras nationwide sharing plate scans across city and state lines.

Twenty-two cameras sounds modest until you remember that's twenty-two new points logging every vehicle that passes, tied to a system built for cross-jurisdiction searches with minimal local control. Residents rarely get a real vote on retention windows, audit logs, or ICE/out-of-state access before these contracts get signed — the sales pitch to the city council and the friendly news segment tend to arrive well before any public debate.

If you live near Katy or anywhere else, check our camera map to see what's already tracking your street, and visit take-action for a template to push your council for transparency before they green-light the next batch of readers.