Flock Safety security cameras in a 2019 file photo.
Andy Cross
The Denver Post/TNS
Tarrant County commissioner Matt Krause is asking for more information on how the controversial Flock cameras are being used in the county.
The sheriff’s department will provide a briefing on license plate readers during the commissioners court meeting Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Krause did not return a phone call concerning the Flock cameras, but he posted about his concerns on Facebook and X.
“I have become increasingly concerned that these cameras are operating outside the bounds for which they were implemented,” he wrote.
Krause also wrote that when he served in the Texas House, he supported “getting rid of” red light cameras, stating that the pros of using the cameras were outweighed by the cons.
“I feel as though we are headed in the same direction here with the Flock Cameras,” Krause wrote.
But Krause added that he is open to hearing a different side and to be persuaded that the Flock cameras are “indeed invaluable for their intended purpose.”
Why Flock cameras are creating concerns throughout Texas and the US
Flock Safety, based in Atlanta, contracts with many counties throughout the U.S., according to the Texas Tribune.
The cameras incorporate AI technology to scan vehicles that pass by the cameras. The cameras upload license plate numbers and also the vehicle’s color, model and even bumper stickers to the country’s largest vehicle surveillance database.
The law enforcement agencies that contract with Flock can search the database without a warrant, according to information from the Texas Tribune.
Unease about the cameras grew as reports surfaced about misuse of the technology by some law enforcement officers.
Earlier this month, the Harris County Sheriff’s Department blocked three deputies from using the Flock cameras while an investigation is conducted over possible misuse.
In Fort Bend County, a sheriff’s deputy was suspended after looking up one person’s license plate 141 times and another person’s license plate 148 times.
But the Flock cameras have also led to recovery of stolen property, thwarted kidnappings and stopping other crimes, according to the company’s website. Flock also contracts with businesses, schools and neighborhoods.
But some counties and cities throughout the state have chosen to end their contracts with Flock.
In Hood County, Precinct 2 constable John Shirley posted on Facebook that “these cameras were constantly scanning and recording regular folks just going about their day. That kind of permanent, warrantless tracking doesn’t belong in a free society.”
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
With my guide dog Freddie, I keep tabs on growth, economic development and other issues in Northeast Tarrant cities and other communities near Fort Worth. I’ve been a reporter at the Star-Telegram for 34 years.