League City voters rejected Flock Safety cameras Tuesday night.
The 54 percent to 46 percent vote triggered a separate resolution approved in October to remove or cover the city’s 55 Flock cameras within 72 hours of the election results.
Proposition A asked voters whether they believed that the “League City Police Department [should] continue using automated license plate reader cameras at fixed locations on public roadways for law enforcement purposes.”
Flock’s automated license plate readers (ALPRs) use AI to scan license plates and save information about a vehicle, such as make, model, color, and other identifiers like cosmetic damage or bumper stickers.
Flock allows law enforcement officers to access its database without acquiring a warrant. This has raised concerns over potential violations of citizens’ Fourth Amendment rights.
“There’s no disagreement that they work,” Mayor Nick Long stated Tuesday. “However, there’s also no disagreement that there’s serious privacy concerns.”
Per an October 13 removal plan, the cameras will be covered or removed, and City Manager John Baumgartner has been directed to review League City’s contracts with Flock Safety. The plan could bring at least $120,000 that was previously dedicated to Flock back into the city’s annual budget.
“This is $120,000 for police,” Long said. “We’ll definitely keep it in the budget for the police.”
The decision matches the growing sentiment towards the cameras throughout the Lone Star State.
The city of Taylor elected Monday to terminate its contract with Flock Safety, citing a “recent loss in confidence” as one of the reasons for the removals. Additionally, Sherman City Council voted in late October to remove its eleven ALPRs.
“This is not a reflection of the trust that we have with our police. More so this is just the opinions of the community about a technology that they do believe invades their privacy and has constitutional issues,” Sherman Mayor Shawn Teamann said regarding the decision.
In late September, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Transportation to pause permit issuance for ALPR technology on state-owned roads. About a month later, Comptroller Don Huffines banned grant funds his office administers from being used for Flock cameras and other ALPRs.
Texas lawmakers are expected to consider potential regulations for Flock’s automated license plate readers and other ALPR systems during the 2027 legislative session.
