NBC 5 DFW reported that the police chiefs of Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving, Allen and Grand Prairie want to keep automated license plate readers but tighten the rules around them. The chiefs sat down with NBC 5 Justice Reporter Shannon Miller for an extended conversation.
Do the chiefs want to keep plate readers?
Yes. Police say the readers help investigators find stolen vehicles, missing people and criminal suspects, sometimes within minutes and across city lines. The chiefs described cases involving missing children, violent crimes and stolen vehicles.
Grand Prairie Chief Daniel Scesney said: "Those two aren't mutually exclusive, right? We can find middle ground."
Fort Worth Chief Eddie García said officers in Texas and elsewhere have used the information improperly. He said the answer is stronger safeguards, not getting rid of the technology.
What rules are they asking for?
Several of the chiefs support:
- Consistent policies within each department
- Statewide standards for how the readers are used
- Criminal penalties for people who misuse the systems
Scesney said: "I would support a stand-alone law that would give a criminal penalty for misusing this technology." The chiefs also said public understanding of how departments use the readers, and the limits already in place, matters for trust.
NBC 5 DFW does not say whether any of the chiefs has proposed a bill or a specific penalty.
What is happening in Dallas?
Since the interview, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux met with Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley. They discussed safeguards, auditing, data policies and accountability.
Flock also agreed to keep 321 state-grant-funded cameras in Dallas running for another 90 days while discussions continue. NBC 5 DFW does not say when that period starts.
What changes for drivers?
For now, the 321 Dallas cameras stay on. Plate readers in other North Texas cities are not part of this extension. To see where plate readers are near you, check the camera map. For background on how the readers work, read how plate readers work.
What happens next?
The next deadline is the end of the 90-day extension for the 321 Dallas cameras. NBC 5 DFW does not say what happens when it ends.