Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo calls for special meeting on Flock camera use

HOUSTON - Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is calling for a special Commissioners Court meeting to discuss Flock cameras and privacy concerns. 

In a Substack post published over the weekend, Hidalgo said the county needs to take a closer look at its contract with Flock Safety and make discussions about its use public.

Flock camera concerns

Automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, capture vehicle license plates and other information that can be used by law enforcement. Hidalgo said the technology can help solve crimes and save lives, but she also acknowledged concerns about how the systems can be abused.

In her post, Hidalgo pointed to recent allegations of misuse involving Flock cameras in Deer Park, Katy, Pasadena and Baytown. She also cited reports of Flock cameras being vandalized, including four incidents in one week in the Galleria area.

Harris County use of Flock cameras

What they're saying:

Hidalgo said Harris County quiety approved a one-year extension of its Flock Safety contract on May 28. The extension runs through June 2027 and costs over $2 million.

"In the end, the item passed 4-0 (I abstained) without any data privacy parameters or oversight requirements," said Judge Hidalgo in the post. "Instead, the Court promised it would approve the contract and later add the oversight clauses."

The county judge said a three-pronged approach to the issue. She said the Harris County government must create a clear summary of its ALPR contracts, hold a public discussion with experts about concerns and oversight, and pause continuation of the programs until appropriate oversight has been added to the contract. 

"The information the community is requesting is appropriate," said Hidalgo. "For example, we should know for example what kind of Flock camera information becomes accessible to the public, and which agencies have access to the data."

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