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Automated license plate readers spark worries of mass surveillance in San Marcos, Austin

The Brief Austin, San Marcos debating future of automated license plate reader programs Flock cameras scrutinized over privacy concerns and data access AUSTIN, Texas - Worries about mass surveillance have both Austin and San Marcos debating the future of automated license plate reader (ALPR) programs. The Flock cameras have been scrutinized over privacy concerns and data access. What we know Community members took the stand one by one during Tuesday's City Council work session to call for the council to strike down the renewal of the ALPR program in Austin. In 2022, Travis County granted the Austin Police Department the authority to use ALPR and in March 2024, the Flock cameras went live in Austin. This March, the city council approved a 90-day extension and in May an audit on the program was released. "This program represents and imminent security threat to Austinites and your constituents by enabling like ICE kidnapping. We know this because it is my understanding that contractor of this program, Flock, has an active contract with ICE for intelligence information outside of that the massive surveillance of all vehicles traveling within the city of Austin is dystopian and concerning," said Austin resident Reece Armstrong at the work session. "This program scanned 75 million license plates, a staggering number and the success rate of locating persons of interest was less than .02 percent. We also learned that despite the guardrails in place, our contract has no legal force behind it and data that wasn't supposed to have been shared, has been shared, putting our citizens at risk, said Kevin Welch, another Austin resident. In response to the backlash, the Austin Police Department presented a visual argument on the purpose of the initiative, its impact on public safety, safeguards, and contract revisions. "We have to understand that if we decide to turn this off there will be a negative impact to the safety and security of our citizens. We are not just talking about stolen vehicles, we are talking about violent criminals," said Asst. Chief Sheldon Askew. Askew detailed how data is shared from the program, pointing out the category 'smuggling' and why the Texas Department of Public Safety had access. "I would really like to break down for a minute just what exactly smuggling a person is. When someone is smuggling someone, they are doing so with the intent to hide that person. In other words, they are doing it, putting that person at risk. I think all of us remember that incident that happened in Houston, Texas when a number of people piled in the back of an 18-wheeler," said Askew. Austin police argue the data from the program is kept for seven days and there are criminal penalties for officers misusing the technology. "We have robust safeguards in place to ensure the requests that are coming in are monitored, reviewed and there is a standard approach taking so that we can avoid the issues that some of our community members believe are going on right now," said Askew. What's next The Austin City Council was supposed to discuss and vote on Item 67, a proposed extension of the ALPR program, during its Thursday meeting. However, City Manager T.C. Broadnax pulled the item from the agenda Tuesday night, citing the concerns expressed by residents during Tuesday's work session. Broadnax's decision essentially means Austin's ALPR program will end on June 30. What we know On Tuesday night, the city of San Marcos voted on their own ALPR program, aiming to add 19 more cameras to the 14 already in use. "If you don't want your license plate to be captured, stay off the tollways and TxDOT because there's cameras everywhere," said a San Marcos resident in support of the cameras. "If Flock or law enforcement tell us these cameras won't be used for this or that, how can we know as we stand here today?" asked a San Marcos resident in opposition to the cameras. The Source Information in this report comes from reporting by FOX 7 Austin's Tan Radford.