Overview
- Commissioner Lesley Briones ordered Precinct 4’s 61 Flock Safety cameras taken offline and physically covered on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, saying she acted after hearing residents’ privacy concerns.
- The cameras are automated license-plate readers that log time-stamped vehicle movements into a searchable network that other agencies can access, a design critics say enabled improper searches.
- Briones’ office said it consulted the Harris County Attorney’s Office and that the precinct has authority to shut the devices, while the Sheriff’s Office is listed as the system administrator under the county agreement.
- Flock Safety said formal decommissioning could take about 48 hours, and officials have not yet clarified how the shutdown affects law enforcement access to previously collected plate data.
- The move comes ahead of a Commissioners Court discussion scheduled for Oct. 15, 2026, and follows regional and national audits showing broad outside access and documented misuse that have led to suspensions and funding pauses.