Dallas Deactivates Half of Flock Cameras

Dallas deactivated roughly half of its Flock license-plate reader cameras as the city navigates state directives while the city council discussed a nonbinding $1.5 million budget cut to redirect funds to sidewalks and eviction defense; about 300 city-funded cameras remain in operation. The budget talk comes as Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras, accelerating local re-evaluations. A final mid-September vote is planned on the broader budget, with staff briefing on the status of AI-powered cameras on sanitation trucks. In Florida, Orange County will continue using LPRs where permitted despite other actions elsewhere, illustrating a mixed regional approach. The developments keep privacy and data-control concerns at the forefront as Texas counties and cities reassess the role of automated license-plate readers, even as the Abbott pause continues to influence funding and operations. Dallas has deactivated roughly half of its Flock cameras amid these ongoing debates.