Eastpointe, Michigan

Opposition to Flock automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras continues to spread as more governments restrict or drop the technology over privacy and misuse concerns. The Texas Department of Transportation has suspended approvals for new Flock cameras on state roadways, following an August order from Gov. Greg Abbott halting state agency funding for the devices. Texas joins Florida, which revoked permits for the cameras on state road rights-of-way after Gov. Ron DeSantis warned against creating a "digital AI surveillance state."

Locally, Half Moon Bay, California, will let its camera pilot expire rather than renew it, following El Cerrito's earlier removal in the East Bay; a San Jose officer's alleged misuse of the system to track a domestic violence victim was cited as a factor. Eastpointe, Michigan, ended its contract after separate employee misuse, and a Deer Park, Texas detective was recently suspended for hundreds of unauthorized searches. Coopertown, Tennessee, has now also terminated its Flock contract after public pushback, despite the police chief's defense of the cameras' limited tracking capability. Flock has issued new privacy guidelines to detect suspicious activity, while President Trump has voiced support for the cameras even as GOP officials remain divided and some police say losing access has slowed investigations.