Southeast Texas Expands Vehicle Tracking Cameras

Cities and counties across Southeast Texas are widening use of license plate readers as state and federal rules remain absent.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single gray utility pole topped by a camera aimed down at an empty road under a pale sky. — Southeast Texas cities and counties are expanding license plate reader cameras while League City voters rejected Flock camera use and no state or federal safeguards exist. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should your city or county keep using Flock license plate cameras?

Southeast Texas cities and counties are expanding vehicle surveillance technology that captures license plates and details of passing cars. League City voters rejected continued use of Flock cameras, while other local governments approved new agreements.

Why it matters

The expansion is occurring without a comprehensive Texas or federal law setting safeguards for license plate reader data. A Washington Post investigation found at least 11 cases nationwide of people accessing Flock data without authorization.

The City of Orange approved a two-year Flock services agreement totaling just under $400,000, while Harding County approved a $20,000 package for its Sheriff's Office in 2025. Jefferson County approved roadside readers without a listed cost, and the figures for the Jefferson County agreement have not been disclosed.

The players

Flock Safety

Flock Safety is a privately held company that sells automated license plate reader camera systems to police departments and municipalities across the United States.

Texas Department of Transportation

The Texas Department of Transportation is the state agency that oversees the state's highway system and issues permits for roadside installations, including the cameras paused in this story.

The Washington Post

The Washington Post is a major national newspaper whose investigation identified at least 11 cases nationwide of people accessing Flock license plate data without authorization.

The details

Beaumont's Real-Time Crime Center can connect with public and private video feeds when owners agree. The Texas Department of Transportation has paused permits for cameras not yet installed, and the Orange County sheriff dropped a plan to seek grant money for countywide readers.

2025: Harding County approved a $20,000 Sheriff's Office package.
2025 legislative session: Texas bills limiting camera use, speeding data deletion, and requiring public records reports stalled.
August: Orange County sheriff issued a statement on public funds.
After election results are certified: League City plans to remove 55 Flock cameras.

Legal Context

Southeast Texas is expanding license plate readers while the Washington Post's investigation documented at least 11 nationwide cases of unauthorized Flock data access. Texas and the federal government still have no comprehensive law setting safeguards for this data, leaving local agencies to set their own rules.

Residents in Southeast Texas cities and counties that approved Flock agreements may see their license plates and vehicle details captured by roadside cameras. League City residents will see 55 Flock cameras removed after election results are certified.

The takeaway

Residents across Texas should watch how their local governments set rules for license plate data, since no state or federal law yet requires safeguards. Ask city and county officials how long captured data is kept and who can access it.