Bastrop terminates Flock Safety contract, bans future ALPR cameras
By ยท Updated 1 Oct 2026
9 September 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]
Bastrop City Council voted to immediately terminate its contract with Flock Safety and adopt a resolution preventing any future automatic license plate reader technology in the city. The decision came after residents covered the cameras in place and continued advocating for their removal. Council member Cynthia Meyer introduced the resolution to halt not only the existing Flock contract but to block all future ALPR deployments.
The Flock cameras had been a contentious issue in Bastrop, with residents expressing concerns about privacy, data collection, and potential misuse of the technology. Mayor Ishmael Harris acknowledged evidence that the cameras assisted law enforcement while recognizing legitimate privacy concerns and questions about data access and control. The termination follows a broader national debate over Flock's license plate reading technology, with Gov. Greg Abbott announcing a pause in state funding and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst calling for an outright ban. According to DeFlock, Bastrop became the fifth city or county to terminate its contract in the previous month.
Bastrop residents expressed hope that the council's action would establish a precedent for other municipalities. Some residents noted that local governments currently have more power than federal authorities to guide how such technology is deployed within city limits. A resident also suggested pursuing a permanent city charter amendment to strengthen the restriction beyond the current council's term. Nearby College Station was scheduled to vote on its Flock contract on September 24th, while Bryan had not yet set a timeline for discussion or a vote on its agreement.
Residents in other Texas cities can monitor their local government's ALPR contract status and review council agendas to determine whether similar termination or restriction votes are scheduled.
Read the original reporting: kbtx.com.