The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will keep running at least 940 Flock license plate reader cameras despite Gov. Greg Abbott's Aug. 27 funding freeze.
That matters in Harris County, where a Texas Privacy Coalition database counts 3,546 community-mapped cameras, more than any other county in the state, according to Newsweek. The Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) alone manages 20 Flock networks totaling 480 cameras, most owned by municipal utility districts (MUDs) and neighborhood associations that designated the sheriff's office as their system administrator, KPRC 2 reported.
DPS tightens access rules
A DPS spokesperson said the agency will pause new camera installations but continue using its existing network for what it called legitimate public safety purposes. The agency did not answer questions about long-term funding.
On Friday, Sept. 4, DPS announced it will limit searches of its camera data to law enforcement agencies that have signed data-sharing agreements with the department. Previously, agencies without agreements could still look up specific plate numbers. As of July 2026, only 206 Texas departments had signed such agreements.
A Houston Public Media and Texas Tribune review of roughly 615,000 searches of the DPS network in June 2026 found nearly half came from agencies outside Texas. In all, 3,075 agencies searched the system. Houston Police accounted for 13% of queries.
HCSO accountability steps
The state-level access change follows accountability measures closer to home. On Aug. 14, HCSO suspended three deputies' Flock access and launched administrative reviews after a USA Today reporter flagged potentially questionable searches. The office also began requiring deputies to enter a case code for every plate lookup and activated Flock's new auditing tool.
"Any deputy who abuses the public trust will be held fully accountable, both professionally and criminally," Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a statement on Aug. 14, when HCSO announced the suspensions.
At a Harris County Commissioners Court meeting that same day, residents asked officials to cancel Flock contracts over privacy concerns.
Funding in question
Abbott's order came as the Tribune was reporting that the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority had tapped at least $30 million from a fund dedicated to fighting catalytic converter theft to help pay for at least 3,200 Flock cameras statewide. Six of the authority's seven board members are Abbott appointees.
Other Texas cities are already shutting cameras down. Dallas police announced Wednesday, Sept. 2, they will disconnect 321 state-funded Flock cameras. El Paso said Friday, Sept. 4, it will stop using its 150 cameras because state grant money is no longer available.
What's next
The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority has not released guidance on how its grants are affected by Abbott's order. Its next meeting is set for Oct. 13. Whether HCSO or Spring-area MUDs that rely on the DPS network need signed agreements to keep accessing plate data remains an open question.
