Plano police lost access to the Flock license‑plate reader system this month when the state grant that covered the $300,000‑a‑year expense was terminated after Governor Greg Abbott ordered all state agencies to stop paying for the technology. Chief Ed Drain told reporters the cameras were a critical component of the department’s ability to track vehicles and suspects, and he is now urging the city to consider financing the system on its own.
Impact on public safety
Drain highlighted that the Flock cameras have been part of a stretch of historically low crime in Plano. The city was recently named the second‑safest large city in America by SmartAsset, and the police department recorded its lowest crime rate ever in 2024. “In 2025 our crime rate was even lower than that, and we’re on track to be even lower in 2026,” Drain said.
Without the system, the department has already felt the gap. A tragic incident involving a 32‑year‑old woman who was killed by her ex‑boyfriend required detectives to borrow a neighboring city’s Flock system to locate the suspect, leading to a high‑speed chase that ended in a fatal crash.
State funding pulled
Governor Abbott’s directive to halt state payments for Flock cameras took effect at the end of August, leaving Plano with no time to respond or secure alternative funding. “The governor ended any state funding for Flock cameras. That took effect at end of August,” Drain explained.
Drain said the city could restore the cameras by covering the cost itself, but he is waiting to see what the Texas Legislature does next. “As much attention as this is getting on both the left and right on the political spectrum, I suspect that this will come up during the legislative session,” he added.
Future technology plans
Even as the city evaluates its options for the Flock system, Drain noted that Plano is exploring other tools to keep the community safe. A drone‑as‑first‑responder program is slated to launch soon, and the department remains confident in its officers’ ability to protect residents with existing resources.
“The city of Plano, with or without Flock cameras, we intend to keep our city safe, and I’m confident we can continue to do that with the technology we have, and with the officers that we have. Sometimes just plain old good detective and police work,” Drain said.
Regional context
North Texas municipalities have taken varied approaches to the Flock technology. Some have terminated contracts over privacy concerns, while others have retained the system for public‑safety reasons. Plano’s decision will likely influence neighboring cities as they weigh the balance between privacy and security.
For now, the 90 Flock cameras remain physically installed but are offline. The police department continues to rely on traditional investigative methods while city officials consider the best path forward for funding and oversight.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
