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College Station council authorizes application for state grant to fund Flock license‑plate cameras amid resident privacy objections
Summary
The council voted unanimously April 23 to let the police chief apply for a Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant (SB224) to fund Flock fixed automated license‑plate readers, after an extended public comment period in which several residents warned of security vulnerabilities, third‑party data control and Fourth Amendment risks.
The College Station City Council voted unanimously April 23 to authorize Police Chief Couch to apply for a Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant (SB224) to help pay for the city’s Flock fixed automated license‑plate reader system.
Opponents of the Flock system packed the meeting and urged council to reject the grant application, arguing the cameras go beyond license‑plate reading and pose persistent risks to privacy and civil liberties. “There is no price that is worth this invasion,” said Keith Rogers, a 20‑year resident, warning the system enables intrusive tracking by a private company. Other speakers cited security researcher reports and court decisions and raised concerns about third‑party access to footage and the potential…
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