Dallas police will retain over 300 Flock Safety cameras after the surveillance firm agreed to a 90‑day payment pause. The extension comes as Governor Greg Abbott’s state funding freeze for the AI‑powered devices remains in effect.
Local agencies gain temporary reprieve
City council presentations and county commission minutes show that Addison, New Braunfels and Johnson County have also secured similar extensions. Officials said that without Flock’s pause, many of the cameras would have been shut down because the grant money that funded them was frozen.
“We’re so close to the November election that it would be premature to pull the plug before we see how things develop,” said Johnson County Commissioner Rick Bailey during a September 14 meeting. Bailey called the funding freeze “very political” and suggested the pause was intended to avoid upsetting voters.
Governor’s office remains silent
Governor Abbott’s office has not answered questions about the freeze or the company’s response. The lack of guidance has left local officials uncertain about the duration of the funding block and how to plan future contracts with Flock.
Abbott halted the use of state money for the cameras in late August after a Texas Tribune investigation revealed that a small state agency had allocated at least $30 million toward more than 3,200 devices statewide. The freeze also paused new license‑plate readers on state highways, though existing readers may stay in place.
How the extensions work
Flock Safety, based in Atlanta, offered the 90‑day pause to give departments time to locate alternative funding. During the pause, agencies are not required to make payments but retain full access to the cameras. If state funding does not resume after the pause, officials can exit their contracts without penalties.
All four jurisdictions used reimbursement grants from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, a board largely appointed by Governor Abbott, to fund the cameras. “We have half a million dollars of local taxpayer money already encumbered and paid, and we’re waiting for that reimbursement the governor promised through the grant program,” Bailey said.
Law‑enforcement perspective
Police leaders across Texas have praised the cameras as a valuable tool for deterring and solving crimes. Dallas police noted that without the grant money, nearly half of the city’s camera arsenal would have been unplugged. Commissioner Bailey likened the funding freeze to Abbott’s earlier restrictions on data centers, suggesting both moves reflect political pressure from voters.
State‑funded cameras also include more than 900 devices operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). DPS has not confirmed whether it received a similar payment pause, but it indicated it will keep its existing cameras operational.
Political backdrop
The cameras have become a flashpoint in the upcoming gubernatorial race. Democratic candidate Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who is challenging Governor Abbott, has tied the proliferation of Flock cameras to the governor’s policies, arguing that the devices represent an overreach of state power. Several lawmakers, from both parties, have announced plans to introduce legislation that would restrict or ban the cameras statewide.
Despite the controversy, local officials remain hopeful that state funding will be restored after the November 3 election. Addison City Councilmember Marlin Willesen expressed confidence that the state will eventually fund the devices, saying, “The question to me is not if, it’s when.”
What’s next?
The 90‑day extensions give Dallas, Addison, New Braunfels and Johnson County a window to explore alternative financing or await a decision from the governor’s office. As the election approaches, the fate of the cameras—and the broader debate over surveillance technology—will likely remain a prominent issue in Texas politics.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
