Dallas police will deactivate almost half of the Flock license-plate cameras across the city this month after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a pause in state agency funding for the technology, the department announced Tuesday.
The AI-powered cameras will be turned off Sept. 15. The change affects 321 cameras, police said, while more than 300 will remain in operation.
Department officials learned of the funding change during a meeting with state officials Tuesday, said spokesperson Allison Hudson.
Dallas has 684 cameras across the city, according to an online “transparency portal” that Hudson said was recently updated with information about how the police are using the technology.
The cameras scan license plates and can help investigators identify vehicles connected to criminal activity. Dallas police and other law enforcement agencies nationwide have described them as an important investigative tool, saying officers and detectives use them daily to develop leads and solve crimes.
Dallas police credited Flock cameras with helping solve 12 homicide cases through Aug. 24, representing 14% of the department’s homicide cases to that point, according to its transparency site.
But scrutiny of Flock Safety, one of the nation’s dominant vendors, has intensified in recent weeks amid allegations of police misuse and concerns that its expanding network allows authorities to track motorists with little public oversight.
The Dallas City Council approved a three-year, $5.7 million contract with Flock in May 2025. Nearly $1.7 million was tied to a grant from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, a state agency that funds efforts to combat vehicle theft and related crimes.
The City Council is scheduled to discuss the city’s next annual budget Wednesday. Council member Adam Bazaldua posted on social media that he plans to propose a budget amendment that would cut $1.5 million from the city’s Flock program.
Abbott’s directive last week came amid growing scrutiny of the cameras. His office has cited concerns about the misuse of camera data, including the indictment of a Lufkin police officer accused of improperly accessing Flock information.
Last month, Flock Safety announced new safeguards requiring users to provide more information when searching its database. The company, which has said it welcomes legislation regulating the technology, also said it would expand an auditing tool designed to flag potentially improper searches by officers.
Andrew Mahaleris, an Abbott spokesman, didn’t provide additional information Tuesday about the governor’s rationale or how the change would be carried out.
Funding for the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, housed within the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, comes largely from a state fee on automobile insurance policies.