Dallas Police Cancel 321 Flock Cameras After State Funding Freeze
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2 September 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]
Dallas Police Department announced on September 1 that it will cancel 321 Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras effective September 15, following a directive from Governor Greg Abbott that prohibited state grant money from supporting the devices. The department said it received official notification of the funding freeze and determined the affected cameras would no longer be eligible for the state grants. DPD stated the cancellation was necessary to ensure compliance with the Governor's directive.
The move represents a significant reduction in camera deployment across Dallas, though the department indicated that more than 300 Flock cameras will continue operating in the city. The cancellation affected only those devices supported through the specific state grant funding that was frozen, not all Flock infrastructure in the jurisdiction. The timing of the Governor's action and the department's response reflects broader debate over automated surveillance technology and state oversight of law enforcement spending.
Residents and oversight bodies can now track which cameras remain active and request records on the criteria used to select which devices to deactivate. Public records about the state grant program, the original contract terms, and any remaining Flock operations may reveal how Dallas adapted its surveillance infrastructure after the funding freeze. Residents in other Texas cities should check whether their local police departments received similar notifications and whether comparable camera networks face comparable funding constraints.
Read the original reporting: Dallas Express.