Texas Flock News

Conroe isn’t alone

Across Texas, cities and counties are ending their Flock contracts or putting the question directly to voters. Here’s what’s happening elsewhere in the state, updated as we find it.

By The Numbers

What Conroe’s own data shows

Straight from the department’s own presentations and public records, including a discrepancy worth asking your council member about directly.

What Conroe's 51 cameras collected in 30 days: 14.4M plate reads, 480,880 reads per day average, 1,733 searches run by CPD, 60 searches per day average

Source: Chief Jon Buckholtz’s presentation to Conroe City Council, June 11, 2026, as reported by Community Impact and the Houston Chronicle.

A discrepancy worth asking about

Two very different sets of numbers, three months apart.

June 11, 2026 14,400,000 plate reads in 30 days, with 1,733 department searches over the same period
September 10, 2026 894,000 described as “unique scans,” with about 642 of those scans searched, cited to argue the system is not mass surveillance

Why this matters:

Sources: Community Impact, June 15, 2026; KPRC Click2Houston, Sept. 11, 2026. The discrepancy is noted here as an open question, not an allegation.

Want the full county picture, not just Conroe's own numbers?

The Texas Privacy Coalition maintains a county-by-county evidence file on ALPR cameras, including a review of Conroe's own Flock authorization trail (a council resolution plus TxDOT agreement dated Oct. 12, 2023, and a later five-year contract totaling $637,500), plus 271 community-mapped cameras and 9 listed agencies across all of Montgomery County.

See the Montgomery County evidence file →
Montgomery County

Right here at home

Updates
Sep 9, 2026 · Hoodline

Willis shuts its whole network down

Willis switched off its entire Flock camera network until further notice. Mayor William Brown said the city’s “tools and technology must be appropriately reviewed” and that residents’ concerns “must be heard,” part of a wave that’s also hit Pflugerville, Bastrop, Elgin, Manor, and Leander.

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Updates
2026 · Houston Chronicle

Just up the road: Magnolia cancels, too

Magnolia recently canceled its own Flock contract, according to Houston Chronicle reporting on the statewide backlash.

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Updates
Verified Sept 2026 · Are You Flocked?

Montgomery ISD Police Department, confirmed Flock use

Public-record data identifies the district’s police department as a Flock ALPR user; procurement details (cost, camera count, board vote) haven’t been located yet.

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Updates
Jan-Feb 2026 · MC MUD 94 board minutes

Montgomery County MUD 94, proposal deferred

The board considered a Flock proposal at a special meeting, discussed cost with a county constable and Flock reps, and twice deferred taking action.

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Abuse
May 29, 2026 · ABC13

County constable deputy, fired and arrested

Louis Norman, a two-year Precinct 3 Constable’s Office deputy, was fired and arrested for misuse of official information, a third-degree felony. He allegedly searched names, addresses, and license plate information to stalk a former girlfriend.

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Claims
Oct 2, 2026 · ABC13 Houston

Mayor Coon says death threats posted on Facebook

Mayor Duke Coon says Conroe police are investigating a Facebook comment threatening council members over the city's Flock program, which he says read in part, "Be prepared to physically unalive at least half of them." It follows council members' claims in August of phone threats and harassment, also without public documentation. Coon says the threats haven't changed his position: "I support Flock. My chief supports Flock. Our officers support Flock."

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Updates
Oct 2026 · Houston Chronicle

Residents petition for a special election

James Fletes is gathering roughly 1,300 signatures on a citizen-drafted ordinance to force a special election on Flock, after Council voted in August against putting the question on the ballot itself.

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Greater Houston

Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, and Fort Bend counties

Updates
Sep 9, 2026 · ABC13 Houston

Manvel votes 6-0 to end its contract

After an hours-long public hearing, council voted unanimously to end the city’s Flock contract, directing staff to send a 30-day cancellation notice and cover all 16 cameras within 24 to 48 hours.

Read the story →
Updates
Nov 3, 2026 · Newsweek

League City, camera question going to voters

City Council placed a non-binding referendum on the ballot asking whether police should keep using fixed Flock cameras. Mayor Nick Long: “If the citizens don’t trust that it can be [used safely], then they need to come down.”

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Abuse
Oct 2025-2026 · Institute for Justice

Katy, former Officer Sergio Rodriguez

Allegedly used Flock to track his ex-partner more than 2,000 times over about 11 months. Fired, arrested, and indicted; he has pleaded not guilty.

Read the story →
Abuse
May 2026 · Institute for Justice

Pasadena, former Sgt. Michael Palitz

Allegedly used Flock to track and stalk a fellow officer. Resigned during the investigation and surrendered his peace-officer license rather than face prosecution.

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Abuse
Starting Jan 2022 · Institute for Justice

Fort Bend County, a sheriff’s lieutenant

Used Flock to monitor multiple people, including someone in a contentious family relationship. Suspended for two days.

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Abuse
Records disclosed Sept 2026 · Houston Chronicle

Deer Park, 165 searches, one plate, seven months

An internal audit found Officer Brandon Williams searched the same plate 165 times over seven months for reasons unrelated to any investigation. He admitted it, and admitted it violated policy. Suspended 10 days and reassigned; prosecutors declined to pursue it criminally.

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Abuse
Jul-Aug 2026 · Houston Chronicle

Baytown, internal and criminal investigation

An officer accused of misusing the city’s Flock system prompted the chief to open a criminal investigation alongside the internal-affairs case, and to call in the Harris County DA’s office. The officer resigned.

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Abuse
Aug 2026 · Houston Chronicle

Harris County, 3 deputies, access cut after a reporter asked

The Sheriff’s Office suspended three deputies’ Flock access after a news inquiry raised questions about their use of the system. Investigation ongoing; the deputies haven’t been named.

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Updates
Meeting Oct 15, 2026 · Click2Houston

Harris County, special meeting on Flock oversight

County Judge Lina Hidalgo set a 9am special Commissioners Court meeting for October 15 to hear from the public, law enforcement, and Flock vendors, after the Court quietly passed a $2 million, one-year contract extension she abstained from. The Sheriff's Office has quoted $121,000 just to produce records on how the system is used.

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Texas

Statewide news

Updates
Aug 27-28, 2026 · The Texas Tribune

Even the Governor is hitting pause

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas state agencies to stop funding Flock cameras amid growing privacy and misuse concerns. The state has already put at least $30 million behind the network since 2023.

Read the story →
Updates
Oct 2, 2026 · Houston Public Media

Flock offers to self-fund cameras through the freeze

Betting Abbott restores funding after the election, Flock is covering 90 days of payments itself so agencies like Dallas, Addison, New Braunfels, and Johnson County can keep state-grant-funded cameras running, with no penalty to exit if funding doesn't return.

Read the story →
Updates
Aug 27, 2026 · KERA News

Wylie ends its Flock contract, 7-0

City council voted unanimously not to renew, with the contract expiring October 31. Mayor Matthew Porter cited “misuse by other departments” that partner with the city as his core concern, not Wylie’s own use.

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Updates
Aug 26, 2026 · Associated Press

Pflugerville shuts off all 28 cameras

City council voted unanimously to terminate its Flock agreement after discovering non-partner law enforcement agencies had unauthorized access to the city’s camera data.

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Updates
Aug 28, 2026 · Spectrum News

Hood County: “Come get your garbage”

Commissioners voted to terminate their Flock contract; three cameras were unplugged and covered pending removal. Constable John D. Shirley: “Privacy isn’t optional, and mass surveillance isn’t how we do things here.”

Read the story →
Updates
Aug 2026 · KENS5

Kendall County commissioners say no, unanimously

Commissioners Court voted not to renew its Flock Safety contract following months of resident pushback over automated license plate readers.

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Updates
December 2025 · Texas Observer

San Marcos lets its contract lapse

City council chose not to renew, allowing the Flock agreement to expire rather than continue the program.

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Updates
2026 · Local reporting

Lago Vista votes to remove Flock cameras

City council voted unanimously to end its use of automated license plate readers and terminate its Flock agreement.

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Updates
June 2025 · Community Impact

Austin lets its Flock program lapse

City council didn’t renew after an audit raised documentation and data-sharing concerns, one of the biggest cities in the state to walk away.

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Updates
Aug 2026 · KENS5

Guadalupe County: not worth the cost

Commissioners approved early termination; the sheriff cited vandalism, cost, and public scrutiny. Canceling early still cost the county about $8,500.

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Updates
May 12, 2026 · Bandera Bulletin

Bandera: months of pushback pay off

Council voted 3-2 to terminate its Flock contract after sustained public opposition, the same pressure campaign playing out in Conroe.

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Updates
Oct 14, 2025 · Hays Free Press

Hays County commissioners pull the plug

Commissioners voted 3-2 to terminate all of the county’s Flock contracts after months of discussion.

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Updates
Aug 11, 2026 · Institute for Justice

Ingleside: privacy concerns end it early

City council voted unanimously to pull the plug on its Flock contract after residents raised privacy concerns.

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Updates
Jul 20, 2026 · Institute for Justice

Aransas Pass cancels after pushback

City council voted to cancel its Flock contract following community pushback.

Read the story →
Updates
Sep 9-15, 2026 · Community Impact

Liberty Hill removes every camera

Council voted unanimously to end its contract rather than let it auto-renew, and directed staff to remove the cameras immediately. All seven were pulled down within a week, and the city adopted a policy against using technology for mass surveillance going forward.

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Updates
Aug 3-4, 2026 · Texas Scorecard

Burnet County pulls its fixed cameras

After two cameras were vandalized, the sheriff’s office removed every fixed Flock camera countywide. The contract itself isn’t fully ended yet.

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Abuse
Aug 2026 · Institute for Justice

Lufkin, Officer Zachary Klein, 10,000+ searches

Indicted on 100 felony counts after an arrest affidavit alleged he searched Flock more than 10,000 times to track an ex-girlfriend, her relatives, and people connected to her. Lufkin PD suspended its entire Flock program.

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Abuse
May 2025 · Texas Tribune

Johnson County, a nationwide search, no warrant, “had abortion”

A deputy searched Flock’s full nationwide network, more than 83,000 cameras, to locate a woman, with the stated search reason logged as “had abortion, search for female.” The sheriff’s office disputes that characterization; no charges were filed after a medical examiner found no fetal material.

Read the story →

Statewide, at least 56 cities and counties deactivated, rejected, or canceled Flock contracts in 2026 alone. Newsweek is tracking the map, and the Institute for Justice tracks contract cancelations nationwide (137+ as of late August 2026).

USA

Errors, abuse, and Congress taking notice

Beyond Texas, a growing nationwide count from the Institute for Justice and other public records has documented dozens of police employees fired, arrested, suspended, or investigated for personal Flock searches, plus real people held at gunpoint or jailed over misreads, and now direct scrutiny from both chambers of Congress.

Abuse
Jul-Aug 2026 · Savannah Police Dept.

Savannah, GA, six employees terminated

A department’s own audit found Flock searches with no legitimate law-enforcement purpose, including personal acquaintances and family. All six were fired; a state criminal investigation is ongoing.

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Abuse
Reported Aug 19, 2026 · Washington Post

Indianapolis, IN, 3,759 searches in 10 months

An officer reportedly ran nearly 3,800 Flock searches on vehicles tied to his wife and two acquaintances. Suspended without pay; the department has recommended termination.

Read the story →
Legal
Tulsa County, OK · Oct 2026

Federal judge: Flock search was "indiscriminate mass surveillance"

A Tulsa County deputy used Flock and VehicleManager to pull 50+ location records on a California-plated car over roughly 30 days with no warrant and no individualized suspicion. U.S. District Judge Sara Hill ruled it an unconstitutional Fourth Amendment search and suppressed the evidence. It's not binding precedent, but it's one of the first federal rulings to go against Flock.

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Misread
Toledo, OH · April 2024

Brandon Upchurch

A “7” misread as “2.” Held at gunpoint, mauled by a police K-9, jailed. Charges dropped. City settled for $35,000.

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Misread
Volusia County, FL · Oct 2025

Lindsey Isaacs, 13 days in jail over a misread

A Flock hit near a fatal triple hit-and-run led to 8 felony charges and 13 days in jail. Her Durango had no damage; the real suspect, driving a different Durango, was arrested later. She went on to testify before the Senate about the ordeal.

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Misread
Atherton, CA · April 2021

Jason Burkleo

Dirt on his plate made an “H” read as “M,” flagging his car as stolen. Stopped at gunpoint, handcuffed on the ground. Settled for $45,000.

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Misread
York County, SC · 2024

Steven Melvin

One misread letter flagged his BMW as stolen. Held at gunpoint, ordered to kneel for over five minutes. No charges filed; he’s now suing.

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Misread
Plymouth, MN · July 2026

Joel Feder

A loaner Range Rover’s plate was misread against an LAPD-entered stolen tag. Boxed in by four squad cars in a Kohl’s parking lot, detained about an hour.

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Misread
Sherwood, AR · Feb 2026

A young family

A bent plate frame obscured one letter, matching a stolen-vehicle alert. Both parents were cuffed at gunpoint while their six-week-old stayed alone in the car seat.

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Misread
Aurora, CO · 2020

Brittney Gilliam and family

An SUV plate was matched to a stolen motorcycle registered in another state. Gilliam and four children, ages 6-17, were held at gunpoint in a parking lot. The city later paid $1.9 million.

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Misread
Morristown, TN · June 2025

JC and Carolyn Herron

Carolyn’s nurse plate, “LOVEY,” was misread as the stolen plate “L0VEY.” Both grandparents were cuffed at gunpoint while their 3-year-old granddaughter watched from the car.

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Misread
Los Angeles, CA · 2025

LAPD drops Flock entirely

An internal audit found 161 false stolen-vehicle alerts in two months, a 32.3% error rate on “hot list” hits. LAPD let its contract expire rather than renew.

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Misread
Roseville, CA · 2023-24

71% of high-stakes alerts were wrong

Of 1,427 alerts flagging vehicles as stolen or felony-linked, 71% were plate misreads. One driver was wrongly flagged six times. Flock advertises 99% accuracy.

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Legal
Sep 8-23, 2026 · Senate Judiciary Committee

Sen. Hawley chairs a hearing on Flock

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism held a hearing titled “Always Watching: Flock’s Nationwide AI Surveillance Network.” Flock’s own Chief Legal Officer had already conceded, in a letter to the committee, that “Americans’ privacy should[n’t] depend on one vendor’s good judgment, its current leadership, or its commercial incentives.”

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Legal
Sep 16, 2026 · Sens. Schiff and Wyden

Senators press Flock’s CEO for answers

Sens. Adam Schiff and Ron Wyden sent Flock CEO Garrett Langley a letter demanding answers on how the company prevents officers from entering false search justifications, and when its proactive misuse-lockout system becomes mandatory for police customers.

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Legal
Sep 2026 · House Oversight Committee

Formal investigation into Flock Group Inc.

Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robert Garcia opened a formal investigation into Flock over reports its “National Lookup” tool let a Texas sheriff’s office search over 6,800 networks and 83,000+ cameras nationwide for a woman based on the query “had an abortion, search for female.”

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Legislation
Sep 2026 · Reps. Krishnamoorthi and Cloud

Bipartisan “No FLOCK Act” introduced

H.R. 10366 would give states two years to limit ALPR use to five narrow purposes (stolen vehicles, missing persons, felony warrants, and the like) or lose 10% of certain federal highway funding. It followed a Washington Post investigation identifying 69+ officers accused of abusing these systems.

Read the story →
Legislation
Sep 3, 2026 · Rep. Thomas Massie

The “Flock-Off Act”

H.R. 10221 would go further than the No FLOCK Act, banning federal funds for automated license plate readers and biometric surveillance for local law enforcement entirely, with narrow exceptions for the border and tolling.

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Legislation
Sep 24-25, 2026 · Rep. Greg Steube

FLAFO Act would require a warrant

Prompted by a Sarasota, FL officer accused of running one license plate through Flock over 350 times, the FLAFO Act would bar federal agencies from accessing ALPR data without a judicial warrant, with criminal and civil penalties for violations.

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Full case list and methodology: Institute for Justice, “Dozens of Innocent Motorists...”

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