@developingdfw: Plano’s network of license-plate reader cameras is going dark after Texas froze state funding for the technology. Plano Police has used Flock Safety cameras for about three years, automatically capturing license plates and other vehicle details that officers can search during criminal investigations. But after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop funding Flock cameras, Plano decided not to use local tax dollars to keep the program operating, at least for now. Police Chief Ed Drain says Plano still had about one year remaining on its current agreement, but Flock will now begin removing the cameras. And Plano isn’t necessarily saying goodbye to the technology forever. Drain says the cameras have been valuable for investigators, and the city could reconsider using them in the future. The bigger question now is what happens at the state level. Texas lawmakers are expected to examine privacy, data-sharing and surveillance rules surrounding license-plate readers, and Plano says it wants clearer guidance before committing significant local taxpayer money to the system. It’s a debate cities across Texas could increasingly face: balancing a technology police say helps solve crimes against concerns over how much information is being collected, how long it’s stored and who can access it. Do you see license-plate readers as a valuable crime-fighting tool, or does constantly recording vehicles cross a privacy line? #PlanoTX #FlockSafety #PublicSafety #NorthTexas #DevelopingDFW

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Tuesday 22 September 2026 21:33:45 GMT