Texarkana Gazette reported that activist groups in Tarrant County are pushing the county and its cities to remove Flock cameras. The groups are also pushing for a statewide ban, which they compare to the state's ban on red-light cameras.
Who is pushing to remove the cameras?
DeFlock Fort Worth, DeFlock DFW, CLEAR Rule of Law and the Tarrant County chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus are all involved. Joe Palmer, chair of the Tarrant chapter, said the group wants a statewide ban like the one Gov. Greg Abbott signed in 2019 for red-light cameras. Palmer said the focus should be on government accountability.
The Republican Party of Texas and the Libertarian Party of Texas have both taken stances against automated license plate readers in recent months.
What would the resolution do?
Last week, DeFlock Fort Worth and DeFlock DFW sent a resolution to the county commissioners. DeFlock Fort Worth founder Steven Lawrence said it would end the county's spending, contracts, property use and grants for mass surveillance systems like Flock. As written, it would:
- Terminate the county's cameras
- Terminate any county contract that gives access to the Flock database
The Tarrant County Commissioners Court agenda for Tuesday does not include the resolution. Lawrence said: "Not getting the resolution on the agenda for next Tuesday is just the beginning of an effort, not the end of one." His group plans to keep pushing through public comment and is also asking for a charter amendment from the city of Fort Worth.
What does the sheriff say?
Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn told commissioners on Sept. 2 that he believes Flock cameras are the county's most valuable law enforcement tool. He said that from January 2025 to August 2026, his office recovered 259 stolen vehicles, identified a capital murder suspect and intervened in multiple drug trafficking cases.
Waybourn also said the Fort Worth Police Department has made about 2,200 serious arrests in six years thanks to Flock cameras.
What changes for drivers?
Any law enforcement agency with a Flock contract can enter a plate number and a reason for the search to see where that car has been spotted by Flock cameras, even outside the agency's jurisdiction. The Gazette's reporting does not describe how often that happens in Tarrant County.
DeFlock Fort Worth's map shows more than 1,200 Flock cameras in Tarrant County, according to the Gazette. To see where cameras are near you, check the camera map. For how the systems work, read how plate readers work.
What happens next?
The next event is the commissioners court meeting on Tuesday. The resolution is not on that agenda, and Lawrence says the group will keep pushing for it through public comment.