The city of Plano has taken more than 90 Flock Safety license plate reader cameras offline after Governor Greg Abbott directed state agencies to cut funding for the AI-powered surveillance technology, city officials confirmed.
The cameras had been operating in Plano for approximately three years under a contract supported by roughly $300,000 in annual grant funding from the Texas Anti-Gang Program. Once the governor’s order took effect, that funding stream was eliminated and the city’s contract with Flock came to an end.
Plano Police Chief Ed Drain described the cameras as a significant tool for law enforcement, calling the technology a game-changer for the department’s public safety operations. Despite that praise, city officials said they do not plan to pursue alternative funding sources to keep the cameras running at this time.
The Flock cameras use artificial intelligence to scan and log vehicle license plates, allowing police to track vehicles connected to crimes or alerts. The technology has been widely adopted by law enforcement agencies across Texas and the country, but it has also drawn growing criticism from privacy advocates.
Concerns over surveillance and potential misuse of the cameras have been mounting among Plano residents. As recently as this week, community members appeared before the City Council to voice objections to surveillance-related programs, including the department’s newly approved drone first responder initiative.
The drone program, which would deploy unmanned aircraft in emergency situations before officers arrive on scene, has also sparked pushback from residents worried about privacy implications and government overreach.
Abbott’s decision to pull state funding from AI-powered license plate readers reflects a broader debate unfolding across Texas about the balance between public safety technology and civil liberties. Critics argue that mass surveillance tools like Flock cameras collect data on law-abiding residents without their knowledge or consent.
Plano now faces the challenge of adjusting its law enforcement strategy without a technology that police leadership had come to rely on heavily. Whether the city will eventually seek private or local funding to restore the cameras remains an open question as the public debate over surveillance continues to intensify.