Texas Flock & ALPR Update: October 2026 Local Developments

Direct answer: This Texas update tracks recent Flock / ALPR policy, records, court and local-government developments. The numeric score on FlockWatch USA state and county profiles is calculated separately from reported mapped ALPR cameras per resident.

What changed recently in Texas?

Texas now has documented activity in all five index categories: statewide funding action, widespread local contract decisions, records-based reporting on DPS searches and data sharing, misuse investigations, and changing access and transparency rules.

Local developments to watch

• Galveston County: Texas City disclosed an audit that found inappropriate searches and disciplined two employees over alleged misuse of the Flock system; League City separately placed continued use on a nonbinding ballot. Source →
• Angelina County: A Lufkin officer was indicted in August 2026 on numerous counts related to alleged misuse of official information involving Flock searches. Source →
• McLennan County: Robinson voted not to renew its Flock agreement while McLennan County also sits inside the broader Texas DPS data-sharing expansion documented in 2026. Source →
• Travis County: Austin previously ended its Flock program, while Manor ended its relationship in September and nearby communities continued debating renewals and replacement systems. Source →
• Hays County: Hays County commissioners ended Flock contracts, making the county one of the clearest Texas examples of a county-level decision to stop using the system. Source →
• Hood County: Hood County commissioners voted unanimously to end the county’s Flock agreement in August 2026. Source →
• Kendall County: Kendall County commissioners voted unanimously in August not to renew the county’s Flock contract. Source →
• Guadalupe County: Guadalupe County commissioners unanimously voted to terminate the county’s Flock contract after the sheriff requested the action. Source →
• Bastrop County: Bastrop city leaders moved to decommission the city’s Flock system in September, adding a strong local contract-change signal inside Bastrop County. Source →
• Bandera County: Bandera City Council voted in May to terminate its Flock contract, remove equipment and stop additional installations. Source →
• Brazoria County: Manvel City Council voted unanimously in September to end its use of Flock license plate readers, creating a fresh local signal in Brazoria County. Source →
• Montgomery County: Magnolia chose not to renew Flock while Conroe continued debating the technology and kept funding in its 2027 budget, producing active and conflicting local signals inside Montgomery County. Source →

What to verify in your county

• Whether the sheriff, police department, municipality or private partners operate or share ALPR data.
• The current retention period and whether older records can be preserved.
• Which agencies can search local data and whether out-of-state access is enabled.
• Whether users must enter a case number or investigative reason for searches.
• Whether audit logs, misuse findings, camera locations and contracts can be inspected by the public.

Sources for this update

• Texas Tribune on statewide network and data-sharing agreements
• Texas Tribune on state funding pause
• Texas Tribune analysis of DPS Flock searches
• Houston Chronicle tracker of Texas local Flock contract votes

Research note: Camera density and recent-news activity are separate measurements. Community-mapped camera counts can be incomplete, while a lack of recent news does not establish that ALPR technology is absent.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Texas FlockWatch score calculated?

The state profile score is based on reported mapped ALPR cameras per resident compared with the 50-state mapped national average. News volume does not directly change the score.

Does this article count every Flock camera in Texas?

No. Camera mapping is community-maintained and can be incomplete or outdated.

Where can I find my county?

Open the How Flock Is Texas profile and use the county finder for local density and records guidance.

What does the news update add beyond the density score?

It provides separate context about laws, contracts, court cases, public records, votes and investigations that a camera-per-resident number cannot capture.

Editorial note: FlockWatch USA covers surveillance and privacy issues for public education and advocacy. Verify local law and case status from primary sources; this site does not provide legal advice.