The Brief

Texas DPS installs automated license plate readers (ALPRs) on state rights of way

DPS provided a copy of its policy regarding how ALPRs will be deployed, operated, managed and overseen

FOX 7 Austin has requested list of law enforcement agencies with agreements to view DPS’s ALPR data

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas DPS has installed automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in Austin.

DPS says that the readers have been installed within several state rights of way following TxDOT authorization.

What they’re saying

DPS provided a copy of its policy regarding how ALPRs will be deployed, operated, managed and overseen.

“They’ve historically been a very powerful tool for law enforcement, for obtaining leads, for tracking down stolen vehicles, and for solving sometimes violent crime,” said Michael Bullock, Austin Police Association president.

Under this policy, DPS says that the ALPR system and any associated data will be “used solely for legitimate law enforcement purposes” including:

Identifying stolen vehicles and license plates

Locating wanted or missing persons

Supporting official alert systems (e.g., AMBER, Silver, and Blue Alerts)

Assisting in criminal investigations and for homeland security purposes

Enhancing security at critical infrastructure and public event

The policy also allows for ALPRs to be installed on department vehicles, fixed locations, or portable units following approval.

As for data management, the policy says it can only be retained for a certain period designated for each recognized database:

Third-party vendor database: 30 days (including images and all metadata)

TxDPS database: 1 year for DPS generated data; not to exceed 1 year for external law enforcement agency generate data (this includes limited metadata, such as date, time, geocoordinates, ORI, and license plate number)

Data access will be restricted to authorized personnel only and access must be logged and subject to regular audits, says the policy.

Read the full policy below:

Click to open this PDF in a new window.

Dig deeper

DPS says that only law enforcement agencies who have signed agreements with them will have access to footage and images collected by its ALPRs.

FOX 7 Austin has filed a public information request for a list of agencies that have signed such an agreement.

The Austin Police Department, in a statement to FOX 7 Austin’s Jenna King, said its personnel would not be directly accessing the ALPR database system, saying:

No, APD personnel would not directly access the ALPR database system. The only people who can access the ALPR database are the agencies that have a contract relationship with the ALPR database company. APD does not have a contract with any ALPR companies and cannot access the database system.

During a joint investigation, if a partner agency has access to the database, that agency may share information from the ALPR database. But, the information would be limited to that particular investigation. Again, APD personnel would not directly access the system.

In July 2025, APD discontinued its previous ALPR policy in response to decisions to end the ALPR pilot program. APD is reevaluating its previous policy regarding use of ALPR camera data from other agencies for possibly reinstatement and to ensure alignment with the recently adopted City Council policy about surveillance technology.

“Yes, these are two different systems. This one is maintained by DPS. APD does not have a license plate reader program right now, and so they are very separate, they are very different. Agencies and databases we cannot control what the state does,” said Bullock.

Regardless of which agency they come from, the idea still widely criticized Jared McClain, an attorney for Institute for Justice, called it unconstitutional back in June.

“Before they’re intruding into your personal privacy, we have this step where you have to go before a neutral magistrate. And by just giving carte blanche access to all of your information to police at all times, it would make law enforcement easier, but it does so at the cost of our privacy rights,” McClain previously said.

“When you just have to rely on the good faith of police to not put this data, to put this information to bad use after they collect it, that’s a troubling place to be,” said McClain.

What we don’t know

DPS did not disclose what company their cameras are from, how many cameras they have installed or where the cameras have been installed.

FOX 7 submitted a request to see which agencies have registered for the license plate reader data but are waiting to hear back.

Local perspective

Austin City Councilmember Zo Qadri issued a statement about the DPS ALPRs, saying:

“Last summer, Austin made a clear decision to end the use of license plate readers because our community raised serious concerns about privacy, oversight, and civil liberties. More recently, through actions like Item 61, the City has continued working to strengthen transparency and guardrails around surveillance technologies operating in our community.

That is why it is deeply concerning to see the State expand surveillance infrastructure in Austin without meaningful local input. While these actions are framed in the name of public safety, Austinites have been clear that safety must be paired with accountability, transparency, and respect for civil rights.

Public safety cannot be used as a blanket justification for expanding surveillance. Our residents deserve to know what technologies are being deployed, how data is collected and stored, who has access to it, and what safeguards exist to prevent misuse. I will continue advocating for policies that protect both the safety and the fundamental rights of the people who call Austin home.”

Qadri had previously voiced concerns over Austin’s ALPR program.

Controversy with license plate readers

The backstory

DPS’s policy and installations come after several Central Texas cities, including Austin, terminated their ALPR contracts, mostly due to the company they came from and privacy concerns from residents.

The last of Austin’s 40 Flock cameras came down late last year after the city manager decided to terminate the contract last June.

The termination came after community members and the Austin city council expressed concerns about privacy.

Hays County also voted in October to end their contract with Flock after growing concerns that data collected from the company was being misused and shared with agencies such as ICE to track down immigrants.

The Hays County Sheriff’s Office had six LPR cameras and was looking to purchase more, but an incomplete order form prevented the purchase and prompted a new vote by commissioners.

The Source

Information in this report comes from Texas DPS, reporting by FOX 7 Austin’s Jenna King, and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin