The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has suspended issuing permits that allow the installation of Flock Safety cameras and other automated license plate readers along state roads.

“TxDOT’s role is to review permits to ensure license plate readers are installed correctly and safely along state-owned roadways,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement, according to The Hill.

“TxDOT does not have access to the data collected from the license plate readers, and these cameras are placed at the request of law enforcement,” the statement continued.

“Under the direction of Governor Greg Abbott, TxDOT has suspended issuing approvals for Flock cameras or similar devices installed by third parties in our ROW [public roadways],” it added.

The Hill shared further:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ordered all state agencies in August to halt funding for Flock cameras. Nearly all Flock cameras in the state are purchased by cities through federal funding.

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The concern spread to Florida, which moved to halt the use of Flock cameras on state highways earlier this year. The Sunshine State’s Department of Transportation said “concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians’ sovereignty and quality of life.”

Flock has a system of license plate readers, video cameras and audio detection devices incorporated into its AI database — logging details on vehicles to make “signatures.”

Local jurisdictions can share collected data with other law enforcement agencies, creating a major network that can be used in crime solving, but it has also led to misuse by officers in different agencies.

Within the last month, a detective in Deer Park, Texas, was suspended for using Flock’s system to search more than 150 times for plates that were not related to any investigation, according to an ABC affiliate station.

According to The Texas Tribune, the Lone Star State had an estimated 13,000 Flock cameras in August.

The funding freeze resulted in hundreds of automated license plate readers shutting down.

More from The Texas Tribune:

City councils and county commissions across the state have also been unplugging their cameras in response to pressure from residents who cite privacy concerns and a growing number of police who were arrested or investigated for misusing Flock cameras to stalk people.

Law enforcement agencies have defended the cameras as a highly effective crime-solving tool that can be effective in reducing vehicle theft and locating missing people.

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