DALLAS, TEXAS — Dallas County District Attorney write in candidate Eric Reed today called
for a balanced approach to the growing controversy surrounding Flock Safety cameras, as
Dallas prepares to cancel hundreds of the automated license plate readers following Gov. Greg
Abbott’s decision to block additional state spending on the technology.
The Dallas Police Department will cancel 321 Flock cameras funded through affected state
grants effective September 15, while more than 300 cameras are expected to remain in
operation. The move comes amid a broader debate over the cameras across Texas, even as
the Texas Department of Public Safety continues to operate its own extensive Flock network.
“This debate has been framed as though we have to choose between public safety and
individual privacy, but it’s not a binary choice,” Reed said. “Police should have effective tools to
find dangerous suspects, recover stolen vehicles and locate missing people. But the legitimate
use of surveillance to fight crime must have limits. Public safety cannot become a justification for
the unlimited collection and retention of information about law-abiding citizens.”
Flock cameras are automated license plate readers (ALPRs) that capture and organize
information about vehicles traveling on public roads. While the technology can provide
investigators with important leads, its expanding capabilities have raised concerns about
privacy, data sharing, retention and potential misuse.
Reed said clear rules should govern when the technology may be used, who may access the
information, how searches are documented and how long data is retained.
“There should be a legitimate law enforcement purpose behind every search and an audit trail
showing who accessed the system and why,” Reed said. “When someone abuses that access,
there should be consequences. Citizens should also know who is responsible for these
cameras, with clear labeling that identifies who owns and operates them, who maintains them,
and provides contact information so the public knows exactly who is accountable.”
That responsibility includes complying with the laws and regulations governing companies that
provide technology and information used in criminal investigations.
Texas regulators previously issued Flock Safety a cease-and-desist order after determining that
the company had operated without a required private-investigator license. The company later
experienced an additional licensing suspension related to proof of required liability insurance.
“For me, this comes back to One Standard of Justice,” Reed said. “If a private company wants
to do business with law enforcement and provide information that can become part of a criminal
investigation or prosecution, that company has an obligation to follow Texas law. The rules
cannot apply to the person being investigated but somehow become optional for the company
helping conduct the investigation.”
Moreover, Reed said, companies doing business in Texas must comply with state registration
requirements, including maintaining a registered agent on file with the Texas Secretary of State,
and remain subject to applicable Texas laws and regulations.
Reed said he does not support eliminating automated license plate readers simply because the
technology can be misused, nor does he support deploying them without meaningful oversight.
“The answer isn’t to take useful investigative tools away from law enforcement,” Reed said. “It’s
to establish clear limits, transparency, accountability and respect for constitutional rights.”
As technology and artificial intelligence play an increasing role in criminal investigations, Reed
said prosecutors also have a responsibility to understand how evidence is obtained and whether
the companies and agencies producing it have complied with the law.
“A prosecutor’s responsibility isn’t simply to obtain convictions. It’s to make sure justice is done
and that evidence used in our courts was obtained lawfully and can withstand scrutiny,” Reed
said. “One Standard of Justice means one standard for the accused, one standard for law
enforcement and one standard for the companies we entrust with public safety. Nobody
gets an exemption from the law.”
About Eric Reed for District Attorney:
Eric Reed is a Dallas trial attorney and former prosecutor with more than three decades of
experience in criminal law, federal and tribal courts, and complex litigation. He is running as a
write-in candidate for Dallas County District Attorney on a commitment to Promote Public
Safety • Demand Fairness • Ensure Accountability.
Media Contact:
media@writeinreed.com