Plano has disabled over 90 Flock cameras after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop funding AI-powered license plate readers, officials said.
For the time being, the city will not seek alternative funding for the technology, which police Chief Ed Drain called a “game-changer” for Plano’s public safety efforts, as concerns over privacy, surveillance and misuse of the cameras grow.
The city’s contract with Flock, which Drain said was funded through a roughly $300,000 annual grant from the Texas Anti-Gang Program, ended after the governor’s order. Plano had used Flock cameras for about three years, he said.
As recently as Monday, residents have brought concerns to the City Council regarding surveillance, including comments against the department’s recently approved program to deploy drones as first responders in emergency situations, citing privacy concerns.
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