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.

Cities and Counties Pulling Out

Contracts ending across Texas

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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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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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."

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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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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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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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Statewide, at least 56 cities and counties deactivated, rejected, or canceled Flock contracts in 2026 alone. Newsweek is tracking the map.

Voters Getting a Say

Other towns putting it on the ballot

Conroe isn't the only place where residents are pushing to let voters decide directly, rather than leaving it entirely to council.

Aug 11, 2026 · Newsweek

League City considers a November referendum

The Houston-area suburb is weighing a resident-driven referendum on its Flock program. 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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When The Cameras Get It Wrong

Misreads and misuse, nationwide

This is what's actually behind the "false positive" numbers: real people, held at gunpoint, over a misread letter or a database error. These aren't isolated. The Institute for Justice has documented at least 27 such cases since 2018, most since 2023, and says that's likely an undercount.

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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Volusia County, FL · Oct 2025

Lindsey Isaacs

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.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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It's not just individual cases, it's the error rate

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

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