Hays County delays decision on Flock Safety license‑plate readers after hours of public comment

Hays County Commissioners on Tuesday heard more than two hours of public comment — including a Flock Safety representative, prosecutors and a string of residents — before deciding to table a motion that would have terminated the county’s contracts for automated license‑plate‑reader (ALPR) cameras.

The commissioners’ court opened the item (agenda J‑4) after a large public comment section in which supporters and opponents of the systems argued about privacy, effectiveness and potential federal data-sharing. After discussion, the court voted to postpone action and asked for additional information and meetings with stakeholders.

The debate centered on two conflicting claims: supporters, including law‑enforcement allies and a Flock Safety representative, said ALPR systems help detectives find vehicles linked to crimes and assist with AMBER alerts; opponents warned the system creates a broad surveillance database accessible across agencies, including federal partners. “Flock is not facial recognition or biometric tracking. It is not using personally identifiable information,” Trevor Chandler, director of public affairs at Flock Safety, told the court. Chandler also said the company certifies its storage to Criminal Justice Information Services and that search activity is auditable.

Opponents raised privacy concerns…