But commissioners left the technology’s future unresolved Thursday after a lengthy discussion, voting to form a working group to examine unanswered questions about access and address oversight concerns.
They did not vote to pause camera use countywide.
Just before the discussion, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s Office shared presentation notes citing an estimate of 5,300 active Flock devices, based on data from December 2025. The Office of County Administration identified 154 County-funded Flock systems and said the Sheriff’s Office administers 17 additional networks with nearly 500 cameras.
The presentation estimates the remaining 4,600 devices have unclear ownership or access, but the figures do not represent a verified inventory.
“These figures describe different, potentially overlapping populations and do not establish a verified current inventory,” the presentation’s notes said.
It also says a complete list of outside agencies with access to county-collected data remains unresolved.
The vote sets up a broader review, not a pause. Commissioners voted 3-2 to have the Office of County Administration convene a working group chaired by the Sheriff’s Office. The group will propose changes to the county’s Flock contract and draft a model data-use policy by February 2027. Its work will not conflict with the Sheriff’s existing group.
Commissioner Adrian Garcia, however, wanted Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to finish his own policy before a broader group weighed in.
“It’s more complicated than any of us realize. And while we put more chefs in that kitchen, it’ll be a lot longer before we get a policy,” Garcia said.
He added that Gonzalez was “at the brink of proposing a policy” and “probably a week away.”
Hidalgo, meanwhile, pressed for answers sooner, pointing to earlier efforts to add oversight.
“I want to assume that everybody’s operating in good faith, but also at some point you forgive, but you don’t forget,” she said. “And I don’t forget.”
Hidalgo later moved to suspend Flock use in Precinct 4 until the county received information about camera locations, users, search terms, agency access and data retention. The motion received no second.
Commissioner Lesley Briones said Precinct 4 had already withdrawn from its automatic license plate readers’ agreement and its Flock cameras would remain decommissioned.