It's not that hard. The people don't want it. Read the room.
Flock/ City Council Meeting
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Last: 17 hrs ago by CS78
My concern is with the private use of flock. We have control over our local contracts and local regulation of their use, we do not have control of your local motel setting up cameras then selling the data under the table to stay afloat financially.
Mr. Yancy, do you have any thoughts on this from a local leadership perspective?
Mr. Yancy, do you have any thoughts on this from a local leadership perspective?
The next step will be drones. And the (ahem) drones will be out in full force with "if you don't like drones videoing you in your backyard, don't go in your backyard."
5thSergeantPumpkin said:
My concern is with the private use of flock. We have control over our local contracts and local regulation of their use, we do not have control of your local motel setting up cameras then selling the data under the table to stay afloat financially.
Mr. Yancy, do you have any thoughts on this from a local leadership perspective?
We can have a debate about flock on public property. If someone or some business wants to have them on private property, that is completely up to them and you can chose to not go there. Home Depot and Lowes have shown that it is effective in controlling shoplifting.
Can you share where you read or heard that? Employees have told me otherwise.
BlueMiles said:
Can you share where you read or heard that? Employees have told me otherwise.
No kidding.
They didn't let it make the news, but Lowe's had a crew come in some months ago with bolt cutters and take a bunch of power tools that were locked in cages. All during business hours.
Probably one of those Houston crews that does this all the time and gets a $1 bond from Harris County and Fort Bend judges.
I have personally seen thieves run out with tools, as well.
Edit: Yes, with Flock cameras installed.
Edit: Yes, with Flock cameras installed.
BlueMiles said:
Can you share where you read or heard that? Employees have told me otherwise.
https://abc7ny.com/post/long-island-scam-alert-arrests-made-nassau-county-police-break-20-million-gift-card-money-laundering-scheme/15984103/
"Surveillance cameras" is not necessarily the same as Flock cameras, but thank you for the link.
BlueMiles said:
"Surveillance cameras" is not necessarily the same as Flock cameras, but thank you for the link.
Here is the same story from Flock.
https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/20-million-gift-card-scheme-exposed-by-video-cameras
5thSergeantPumpkin said:
My concern is with the private use of flock. We have control over our local contracts and local regulation of their use, we do not have control of your local motel setting up cameras then selling the data under the table to stay afloat financially.
Mr. Yancy, do you have any thoughts on this from a local leadership perspective?
My focus is on government usage policy. You raise a good point. Even if your city government stops using it, private sector entities can and do employ networked video surveillance on their own properties. HOAs have them too.
Respectfully
Yancy '95
I don't really have a problem with private businesses. They don't have the ability to point guns in your face, throw you in jail, take your children, seize your assets, or lock you down in quarantine.
If the data were owned by the city instead of a third party, I'd be more in favor of the cameras because of the good they CAN do. Not that I necessarily trust my city to be 100% perfect, or even 50% perfect lets be honest, but I can raise more hell (in a non-violent manner of speaking) for my local elected officials than I can some CEO out of state when they mess up.
In addition to that, if the tracking were "default off" rather than "default on", i.e. they aren't storing data about your movements until someone turns your license plate number "on" so to speak, I would be more in favor of it. I would also need to see this verified and I wouldn't trust it 100% until someone was caught purposefully abusing it and was made an example of.
In addition to that, if the tracking were "default off" rather than "default on", i.e. they aren't storing data about your movements until someone turns your license plate number "on" so to speak, I would be more in favor of it. I would also need to see this verified and I wouldn't trust it 100% until someone was caught purposefully abusing it and was made an example of.
https://www.wctv.tv/2026/08/31/gov-desantis-set-remove-flock-cameras-state-roadways/
Quote:
On Monday, DeSantis ordered all Flock cameras removed from what he calls the "state highway system" within the next 30 days, which would include interstates like I-10 and I-75.
That order led to several sheriff's departments like in Franklin, Liberty and Putnam Counties to announce they're ending their own license plate reader programs.
What would tracking a car after the fact do? You have to know what the car is to begin with. If somebody robs you while in Century Square and all you can see is the suspect got into a white Dodge charger, there's nothing law-enforcement can do as there's too many of those out there.
Paging hot wheels to the DeSantis plagiarism phone
www.elitellp.net/
EliteElectric said:
Paging hot wheels to the DeSantis plagiarism phone
This.
My daughter moved to a subdivision off of Hwy 30 a few months ago, so I have been driving on Bird Pond Rd several times a week. I only just noticed a Flock camera at Frost Dr last week. Is this new or have I just completely missed it until now?
CS78 said:
I don't really have a problem with private businesses. They don't have the ability to point guns in your face, throw you in jail, take your children, seize your assets, or lock you down in quarantine.
This. Exactly this.
Hornbeck said:EliteElectric said:
Paging hot wheels to the DeSantis plagiarism phone
This.
he's just waiting to see how constituents react then he'll pounce
www.elitellp.net/
EliteElectric said:Hornbeck said:EliteElectric said:
Paging hot wheels to the DeSantis plagiarism phone
This.
he's just waiting to see how constituents react then he'll pounce
Thought leadership is not their strong suit
It's been there 6 months or so.
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EliteElectric said:
https://www.kbtx.com/2026/09/02/get-flock-out-texas-state-senator-calls-alpr-ban/
I bet the Washington County law enforcement community is thrilled.
Not as thrilled as the registered voters are
www.elitellp.net/
Queso1 said:
The next step will be drones. And the (ahem) drones will be out in full force with "if you don't like drones videoing you in your backyard, don't go in your backyard."
The next step is here.
Texas DPS Surveillance SUV's. The gear can be put in a backpack - helicopter or backpack. They create a fake cell tower and route all of your cell traffic through it.
Then they can see everything you do on your phone. Right now they are supposed to use them in emergencies or get a warrant. Once these are everywhere how long until they are used for nefarious uses.
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article316855927.html
https://www.thedrive.com/news/how-texas-police-spent-4-5-million-on-four-chevy-tahoes
Dallas mounted them to garbage trucks for code enforcement.
Another day, another instance of Flock being misused.
https://www.kbtx.com/2026/09/01/former-police-officer-used-flock-cameras-track-victim-76-times-department-says/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUGwrRwZG9mBGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHkM39rhOYT7psKsyi24ifbfO4CZ0tUVOrc2TIpf-bwFtoOYFOTOWMpZVqJEy_aem_7W_c5us4GEeH7IfOsTIelQ
https://www.kbtx.com/2026/09/01/former-police-officer-used-flock-cameras-track-victim-76-times-department-says/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUGwrRwZG9mBGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHkM39rhOYT7psKsyi24ifbfO4CZ0tUVOrc2TIpf-bwFtoOYFOTOWMpZVqJEy_aem_7W_c5us4GEeH7IfOsTIelQ
Hornbeck said:EliteElectric said:
https://www.kbtx.com/2026/09/02/get-flock-out-texas-state-senator-calls-alpr-ban/
I bet the Washington County law enforcement community is thrilled.
Do you know any? There appear to be about 12 cameras in the county with the majority of them on the major highways through the county (290 and 36).... and one at the state historic site.
I wonder how many were place/authorized by by folks in Washington County or if they were placed by state agencies.
Why she filed it? My guess is easy points
EliteElectric said:
Not as thrilled as the registered voters are
yep.
The Brazos Kid said:CS78 said:
I don't really have a problem with private businesses. They don't have the ability to point guns in your face, throw you in jail, take your children, seize your assets, or lock you down in quarantine.
This. Exactly this.
certainly their property, but what happens when
a) that data gets shared to anyone willing to pay
and/or
b) they get "incentives" from state or local jurisdictions to install
Bob Yancy said:CS78 said:Bob Yancy said:
I can confirm the Flock contract will be heard in just over two weeks when we deliberate renewal, or cancellation.
Just fyi
Respectfully
Yancy '95
Thanks for the update. I saw that you received the endorsement of the College Station Police Officers Association. Congrats on that! Do you feel like that comes with any future expectations or pressures concerning ALPRs?
Your extremely dedicated and professional police see Flock as a highly effective tool that helps them do their job better in protecting us. They also see the rising opposition across the country.
I'd ask all of you to see it from their perspective- along comes this tool that offers a proactive way to fight crime. What used to take hours, days, even months of detective work can now be accomplished in moments and they collar a bad guy that was seconds away from potentially hurting or killing someone. That's not exaggeration. It happened here. They get excited about not just the proactive crime fighting tool but also the deterrent effect this technology offers once felons realize they'll get busted in short order just by driving through an intersection after robbing an establishment.
Then the people rise up and demand that tool be taken away. Thats got to be tough for the officer or detective or police chief that just wants to fulfill the mission of a safer community.
Despite this- and to answer your question directly-
No. There was no quid pro quo on my stance on Flock. No, their endorsement isn't predicated on me supporting Flock.
Respectfully
Yancy '95
Hey Bob ---
Are you saying that CSPD is arresting folks BEFORE a crime is committed. What was the charge? I'm sure this is a matter of public record, yes?
Also, you HAVE read the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution, right? Strictly speaking this isn't a search, but considering the spirit of the Amendment and the background of the folks that wrote and passed it, don't you think this just might fall into the category of "just because you can, doesn't mean you SHOULD?"
He's referencing a local case mentioned at the Flock workshop council had where the suspect in an assault was stopped in his vehicle due to Flock usage. Paraphrasing: The suspect was located in the parking lot of the hospital where the victim was being treated and had loaded firearms in the vehicle. A larger crisis was likely averted.
AgGunNut said:
He's referencing a local case mentioned at the Flock workshop council had where the suspect in an assault was stopped in his vehicle due to Flock usage. Paraphrasing: The suspect was located in the parking lot of the hospital where the victim was being treated and had loaded firearms in the vehicle. A larger crisis was likely averted.
Did someone try to pass off the plot of Minority Report as real life?