Gov. Abbott forbids position firms from funding Flock camera purchases.

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Gov. As a result of growing scrutiny over the AI-powered security devices, Greg Abbott has ordered all state agencies to stop funding Sheep devices.

The Texas Tribune was getting the order as it began to prepare to publish an investigation into how a state agency has spent at least$ 30 million on expanding the state’s Flock surveillance network by awarding grants to local police departments.

Abbott’s official confirmed Friday that he had received the order to end state funding for Flock cameras on Thursday night.

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” The majority of the money comes from the federal government, to the extent that places receive any money for those cameras. Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said in a statement shared first with the Tribune that any money comes from Texas authorities is clarifying that those companies are clarifying that those money cannot be used for Flock cameras.

Since 2023, the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority has assisted state and local governments in installing at least 3, 200 Flock devices under the direction of a table largely appointed by Abbott. The Department of Public Safety is installing nearly 1,200 cameras as part of a$ 1.3 million contract with the authority over the course of three years.

A 2023 legislation that added$ 1 to Texas car insurance plans to fight rampant catalytic converter theft funded the agency’s provides. There had never been a debate of using the funds for Flock devices and other products before the bill was passed unanimously in the House and Senate, according to lawmakers who informed the Tribune.

Flock cams are a special kind of license plate readers that makes use of artificial intelligence to monitor and business information on car characteristics, such as the make, model, and colour as well as information like car stickers and dents. Flock cameras allow different agencies to get their devices, resulting in a sizable network across the country.

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Flock Safety said in a statement about the pause that it supports” thoughtful legislation” supporting privacy guardrails that preserve officers ‘ use of their products for public safety.

Flock’s technology is a significant public health tool for law enforcement across Texas, aiding in the recovery of stolen cars, solving serious crimes, finding missing people, and supporting safer communities, the statement read.

Abbott described a” assault” occurring in Texas as cities and counties start terminating deals with the Flock Health security company as privacy concerns are raised and reports of abuse are exploding in a television interview on Friday night.

Abbott cited a Lufkin police officer who is facing 100 counts of misusing public knowledge for allegedly using the neighborhood’s Sheep devices to surveillance 11 people for more than a year. In the past month, at least six officers ministries and sheriff’s offices across Texas have made announcements that officials were being taken off left, the investigation, or criminally charged.

Flock cameras are being drastically reduced, according to Abbott in the interview with Glenn Beck.” This is something that is simply manageable, simply stable, and we’re ensuring that whether it be through legal crackdowns, contract cancellations, or whatever the case may be, Flock cameras are being reduced drastically,” Abbott said in the interview with Glenn Beck. They will have to be used responsibly if they are used at all, they are going to be.

Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor, criticized Abbott for the use of Flock cameras across the state earlier this week, calling them “warrantless surveillance.” Abbott was asked to” stop turning Texas into a surveillance state” in a social media post from Hinojosa.

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The broad scope of Flock’s network and the amount of data that each camera captures have begun to cause debate among Democrats and Republicans. Any law enforcement agency that chooses to participate in Flock’s national lookup program can search each other’s data anywhere in the nation.

Republican U.S. Rep. Keith Self introduced legislation in July that would require federal agencies to have warrants before obtaining access to Flock camera data. In a press release, the McKinney Republican claimed that the bill would grant privacy rights.

According to Self,” Americans ‘ Fourth Amendment right to be secure in their privacy does not disappear just because of new technology or artificial intelligence.”

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Aug 28, 2026Hill Country Post

Gov. Abbott forbids position firms from funding Flock camera purchases.

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