The Carrollton City Council voted Tuesday night to renew the city’s agreement with Flock Safety, approving a three-year contract covering 82 automated license plate reader cameras despite extended public opposition over privacy, data sharing, and oversight.
Six council members voted for the agreement, while Council Member Richard Fleming cast the sole vote against it. The decision followed more than two hours of discussion and public comment.
Council Members Cite Public Safety
Most council members supported continuing the Flock system, pointing to its use in criminal investigations and efforts to locate missing people.
“These cameras solve real crimes and protect real people,” Mayor Pro Tem Daisy Palomo said, KERA reported. “When a child is abducted and an Amber Alert goes out, seconds matter, and those cameras are there.”
Council Member Nancy Cline said the agreement does not increase the number of cameras and argued that the system is primarily positioned at entrances and other areas where crime has occurred.
Police Chief Roberto Arredondo also defended the technology.
“I’m gonna ensure that there is not misuse,” Arredondo said, per KERA. “But currently, it’s the best tool we have to reduce crime and find our loved ones.”
Fleming Raises Privacy Concerns
Fleming said he supports Flock cameras at city entry and exit points but expressed concerns about cameras located within the city.
“Tonight’s discussion is bigger than just cameras; it’s about determining the appropriate balance between public safety and individual liberty,” Fleming said, according to KERA.
Fleming also said he would support allowing Carrollton voters to decide whether camera systems should be permitted throughout the city.
The city currently has 67 Flock automated license plate recognition cameras within its limits. The approved agreement covers up to 82 cameras and supporting software.
Residents Question Data Practices
Residents spoke for more than an hour during a public comment period dedicated to the agreement. Several urged the council to reject or postpone the contract, citing privacy, cybersecurity, data sharing and oversight concerns.
Kirk Booth said residents should be able to travel without creating a permanent record of their movements.
“I don’t believe public safety and individual privacy have to be competing interests,” resident Christian Hernandez said, per KERA, adding that public trust is affected by concerns about potential misuse.
Hannah Foust, a co-organizer with DeFlock Carrollton, said residents had requested a town hall-style meeting to receive answers about the technology and the city’s agreement. She said residents instead saw the proposal placed on the consent agenda.
Foust also said the group has filed more than 50 public records requests since the summer. According to Foust, she received invoices totaling about $2,000, while another Carrollton resident was charged more than $32,000 for a request.
City Says Searches Are Audited
Carrollton police officials told the council they had not identified misuse of the Flock system in the city. They said searches are audited, and officers must enter a case number when using the system.
The police department says the cameras are intended to capture vehicles entering and leaving high-risk areas rather than monitor individual shoppers or residents.
According to the department, Flock data is automatically deleted after 30 days unless it is associated with an active investigation.
The city described the approved agreement as a consolidation of four existing Flock contracts into one three-year contract. It includes 82 cameras and supporting software, with no new services and no additional funding required.
The agreement authorizes up to $398,258.34 in annual spending, with a total contract amount not to exceed approximately $1.19 million. Funding has already been approved through the Carrollton Police Department’s budget.
Carrollton Keeps Flock as Other Cities Pull Back
The Carrollton vote comes as Flock Safety faces increased scrutiny in Texas and other parts of the country.
Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras amid concerns over the technology and the amount of information collected. Carrollton has not used state funding for its Flock contract since 2024.
Other North Texas communities have also reconsidered their agreements. Plano City Manager Mark Israelson told the city’s council that Plano had ended its Flock contract and would begin shutting down its cameras after state funding was withdrawn. San Marcos, Austin and Wylie have also moved away from Flock contracts in recent years.
The Dallas Police Department has suspended the use of its state-funded Flock cameras, effective September 25, but will continue to use more than 300 city-funded cameras, The Dallas Express reported. DPD Chief Daniel Comeaux said he has a “gut feeling” that the deactivated cameras will soon return to service.
Foust said the issue has brought together Carrollton residents with different political views who share concerns about the surveillance technology.
Carrollton’s council, however, voted to continue the system rather than follow the recent trend of cities ending their Flock agreements.
Provided by Dallas Express
