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Elgin has joined other cities by ending its agreement with Flock Safety amid concerns over surveillance and data privacy collected through automatic license plate reader cameras.
The City Council unanimously voted Oct. 13 to terminate its contract.
“Everything has been locked out on the system, but they are still physically present,” Acting City Manager Beau Perry said.
The decision followed a monthlong pause initiated by Police Chief Chris Noble in September as controversy surrounding the technology intensified nationwide. Texas cities including Austin, Pf lugerville, Manor, Hutto, Bastrop, Bandera and Boerne have also ended their Flock agreements.
“This decision is not anti-police and it is not a decision against using technology to fight crime,” Mayor Pro Tem YaLecia Love said in a statement. “It is a decision that says Elgin should invest in tools that provide a demonstrable public-safety benefit while maintaining clear local control over residents’ information.”
Elgin’s system included 25 cameras and a mobile trailer equipped with four cameras of its own. Thirteen cameras were funded through the city’s general fund at a cost of $39,000 annually, while the remaining 12 cameras and trailer were supported by a Texas Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant totaling about $63,000.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to halt state support in late August affected the grantfunded cameras and trailer, while the agreement covering the 13 city-funded cameras was renewed in March and subsequently left on the city’s books until its expiration in 2028.
At press time, the Department of Public Safety still used ALPRs, but under new guidelines.
The council’s vote directs city staff to terminate the agreements and work with the city attorney to negotiate any remaining financial obligations.
Councilman Roland Silva said residents had expressed widespread opposition to the cameras, citing concerns about how information collected by the technology could be used.
“I come from a law-enforcement background and I know the benefits of having data,” he said. “The problem with what we’re seeing today nationwide is more of a trust issue, I think, amongst the community.”
Silva noted the concerns were not necessarily directed toward the Police Department but reflected broader worries surrounding surveillance practices.
Noble previously defended the cameras’ investigative value, telling the Courier in September their removal would affect the department’s ability to investigate crimes ranging from violent offenses to property crimes, but maintained the decision on whether to continue its use should rest with the council and the community.
Police agencies have said ALPRs are “force multipliers” that help track criminal activity across multiple jurisdictions and can even be used to find missing persons.
Critics counter that even though Flock and other firms have tightened rules for accessing the stored information — Flock purges its database every seven days — too many concerns remain about widespread access to the surveillance information.
Recent violations have included police using the data to spy on people for personal reasons.
