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Dallas Council Keeps Flock License Plate Cameras Running Despite Privacy Concerns

By Lori Brown

The Dallas City Council has voted against a proposal that would have eliminated funding for 300 Flock surveillance cameras, despite public criticism of the technology.

Only three council members supported canceling the $1.5 million contract for the license plate reading cameras. Councilman Adam Bazaldua, a vocal opponent of the program, was among those who voted to end it.

At Wednesday's council meeting, Bazaldua expressed concern about oversight of the cameras. "Flock's own chief legal officer has publicly admitted that officers tracking exes is the single most common form of abuse of their platform," he said. He clarified that his opposition wasn't about limiting the Dallas Police Department's capabilities, but about preventing potential misuse that has occurred in other jurisdictions.

Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn opposed the resolution, saying she didn't want it to resemble a "Defund the Police 2.0" measure. She argued the cameras have been valuable for solving cases as part of the city's violent crime reduction efforts.

Dallas Police officials told the council the camera system processes about 13,000 searches weekly, though these searches involve only around 2,100 unique license plates. This data is retained for a full year.

Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux defended the technology, calling it "an extra tool to help us solve everything." He explained that the cameras allow officers to track vehicles into specific areas where they can then concentrate resources to locate them, comparing the search without cameras to finding "a needle in a haystack."

The Flock system captures license plate numbers and vehicle information, storing the data in a database accessible to law enforcement agencies. While officials describe the cameras as an important crime-fighting tool, concerns about surveillance and potential misuse have led some cities nationwide to discontinue their use. Wylie and Pflugerville recently ended their contracts with Flock, and Princeton Mayor Eugene Escobar Jr. has asked his city council to reconsider using cameras acquired through a state grant.

Separately, Dallas Police announced they will deactivate 321 Flock cameras after Texas Governor Greg Abbott halted funding for the program statewide. These cameras must be shut off by September 15, though the city will continue operating its remaining 300 cameras afterward.

Dallas County has also reported incidents of vandalism targeting the camera equipment.