Texas Officer Takes Down Flock Surveillance Cameras

A law enforcement officer in Hood County, Texas, removed all Flock Safety cameras amid national debate over the surveillance cameras.

In a post on Facebook, Hood County Constable John Shirley wrote, “Today is a good day for the Freedom of the people of Hood County.”

I’ve finished the job of shutting down the county’s Flock cameras. They’ve been completely unplugged and covered.

These cameras were constantly scanning and recording regular folks just going about their day. That kind of permanent, warrantless tracking doesn’t belong in a free society. By unplugging and covering them, we’re making it clear: privacy isn’t optional, and mass surveillance isn’t how we do things here.

This is what limited government looks like. People in Hood County shouldn’t have to wonder if every trip they take is being logged and stored. I’m proud we got this done. It’s a real win for the citizens of this county.

To Flock Safety Systems: come get your garbage out of my county.

This comes after the local government decided to terminate its contract with the company, which provides automated license plate readers to law enforcement agencies across the country. 

From The Houston Chronicle:

After the Hood County Commissioners Court voted earlier this year to end its contract with Flock Safety, a constable tasked with disabling the three license plate-reading cameras covered by that agreement shared photos of the work and told the company to “come get your garbage out of my county.”

The commissioners court voted in April to end its contract with Flock, which included three cameras. During its Aug. 11 meeting, the court voted unanimously to cover and unplug the cameras until they could be removed. Hood County Precinct 2 Constable John Shirley’s office was asked to carry out the task.

Shirley finished the job of shutting down the Flock cameras, he said in a weekend Facebook post.

Automated license plate readers, made by companies like Flock Safety, have faced national public backlash as reports of misuse fuel privacy concerns and groups across the U.S. participate in a National Week of Action Against ALPR. Proponents of the technology argue it boosts safety by helping law enforcement find people, such as those suspected of committing crimes.

Shirley, who worked with the Houston Police Department for 21 years before retirement, posted pictures Saturday showing him unplugging the cameras and covering them a black material.

BREAKING: Texas local law enforcement official John Shirley is sparking a nationwide privacy debate after unplugging and covering Flock Safety cameras in his county, declaring the move a win for residents’ freedom. pic.twitter.com/nIv2XOCDiM

— The General (@GeneralMCNews) August 18, 2026

Hood County is one of several municipalities that have cut ties with Flock Safety, and there will likely be many more before the year is out. The prevalence of the cameras has sparked concerns about mass surveillance at the local and state levels.

Defenders claim the cameras are a necessary tool for police departments trying to curb crime. They say the databases have been used to catch car thieves and other criminals.

This has not stopped critics from pointing out that the systems amount to a blanket surveillance program that collects data on millions of Americans as they go about their days. The cameras, using artificial intelligence, can grab license plate numbers, the make and model of a vehicle, and other information without people’s knowledge.

There have been numerous reports of officers using this technology to spy on current and former romantic partners.

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