League City to disable Flock cameras after voters reject their use

League City voters rejected continued police use of Flock Safety automated license-plate readers in the November general election: 54% voted against keeping the cameras, while 46% supported them. Under a city council resolution adopted in October, officials must disable the system within 72 hours of the election. Mayor Nick Long said the city would cover the cameras with nylon bags starting Thursday, preventing them from recording images while the city works to exit its contract with Flock Safety. The police department has 55 cameras installed, with permits for 16 more still being processed.

Once covered, the cameras will no longer collect data or share information with outside agencies. Previously collected or shared information is automatically deleted after 30 days unless preserved as evidence in an active case. The cameras photograph vehicles and license plates, feeding information into a database used by Texas law enforcement agencies and the FBI to help identify suspects. Their crime-fighting purpose has faced growing scrutiny over privacy and alleged law-enforcement misuse in the Houston area. Long had said the city would pay off its contract if voters opposed the system. League City is the first Galveston County municipality to suspend Flock use; Texas City has instead announced operational changes after identifying two possible misuse incidents, and other Houston-area communities have also suspended the cameras amid public concerns.