Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) directed state agencies to halt Texas funding for Flock Safety cameras, his spokesman confirmed in a statement first reported by The Texas Tribune. The instruction could affect state-funded portions of Dallas’ $5.74 million contract and a separate grant supporting 200 cameras.
The available record does not indicate that Dallas has disabled any cameras or canceled its contract. No signed order or written directive appeared on the governor’s or Texas Department of Motor Vehicles’ public websites as of Sunday morning, leaving the effective date, duration and treatment of existing obligations unresolved.
Dallas’ state-funded exposure
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Dallas City Council approved a three-year Flock contract in May 2025. The agreement runs through June 14, 2028, and costs up to $5,738,414.61. City records assign $3,922,914.61 to the General Fund, $1,690,500 to the MVCPA FY2025 SB224 Catalytic Converter Grant Fund and $125,000 to a federal homeland security grant.
The state-funded portion remains subject to annual appropriations. Dallas’ payment schedule lists $563,500 from the MVCPA fund in FY2026 and $1,127,000 in future years.
Dallas also accepted a $1,224,538 FY2026 Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant for a program running September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. The city said the grant covers a police officer, overtime, a marked vehicle, training, fleet expenses and operating costs for 200 Flock cameras. Neither the city agenda nor a state purchase order breaks out the camera share.
Abbott issued the funding instruction Thursday night, spokesman Andrew Mahaleris told the Tribune. “To the extent any funding comes from Texas agencies, those agencies are clarifying that those funds cannot be used for Flock cameras,” Mahaleris said.
The statement did not distinguish new awards from money already obligated under existing grants and contracts. It also did not address Dallas’ General Fund or federal grant dollars.
The Tribune separately reported that the MVCPA has devoted at least $30 million to 3,200 Flock cameras since 2023. Its analysis found at least 95 grants helped local agencies buy or maintain about 2,000 cameras, while a $15.9 million agreement supports nearly 1,200 Texas Department of Public Safety cameras.
Senate Bill 224 raised from $4 to $5 the statutory fee that insurers remit to the MVCPA for each motor vehicle-year of insurance. The 2023 law did not earmark the additional dollar specifically for Flock cameras.
Police cite public-safety benefits
Dallas Police gave about 1,900 approved officers and city employees access to 684 Flock cameras as of Saturday, CBS Texas reported. “It’s probably been a godsend,” Deputy Chief William Griffith said. He said the technology helped investigators develop leads and served as the primary investigative tool in 12 homicide cases this year and 15 last year.
The same demonstration showed the system return 87 images of a CBS vehicle across Dallas-Fort Worth during the previous month. Dallas retains Flock records for one year and audits searches weekly, according to Griffith. Agencies can also share access across jurisdictions, fueling Fourth Amendment, data-sharing and misuse concerns.
Privacy concerns drive Abbott’s action
“Citizens are concerned about their Fourth Amendment rights,” Abbott said during a Friday interview on The Glenn Beck Program. “No private person should have access to Flock cameras,” he added. Abbott said law enforcement must use the technology responsibly “if they’re used at all.”
Abbott cited the 100-count felony indictment of a Lufkin officer over alleged misuse of Flock data. The case has not produced a conviction. Flock said its cameras help police solve serious crimes, locate missing people and recover stolen vehicles, while supporting privacy guardrails.
Until Abbott’s office or TxDMV releases the written scope, Dallas’ network was operating as of Saturday, but the availability of state money for future Flock costs remains unsettled.
Provided by Dallas Express
