Overview
- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Saturday publicly requested a special Commissioners Court meeting to review use of Flock Safety automated license‑plate readers and to force public answers about data access and safeguards.
- Hidalgo says the county quietly renewed its Flock contract on May 28, 2026 without written privacy or oversight clauses and that the one‑year renewal remains in force through June 2027.
- She laid out three specific demands for the court: a clear public summary of ALPR contracts, an open discussion with experts and community stakeholders, and a hold on further program continuation until oversight provisions are incorporated.
- Local law enforcement agencies are conducting internal audits and probes after reported officer misuse, and a former Katy officer has been criminally charged for allegedly using Flock data to stalk an ex‑partner.
- The controversy has spread across the Houston region, prompting some cities to consider ballot measures and signaling a wider push for technical limits, audit tools, shorter data retention, and clearer rules on which agencies can search ALPR records.