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I support the Houston Police Department's continued use of Flock Safety cameras as a vital public safety tool because they have helped recover millions of dollars in stolen vehicles and solved numerous serious crimes. It significantly helps the public when they are harmed or become victims of crime. The sad reality is that officers often have few or no leads to solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles (sometimes with children in the vehicle), locate suspects, and protect the public. Since HPD began its partnership with Flock in 2021, the technology has been instrumental in investigating and prosecuting burglaries, kidnappings, homicides, organized retail theft, juggings, robberies, and other serious crimes. I have spoken with HPD detectives and leaders who say that in nearly all vehicle-related robberies and homicides, Flock Safety cameras played a key role in locating suspects, solving crimes, and delivering justice. The cameras have cut crime in our city and many others. One officer told me it is the best crime-fighting tool in his three decades of policing. Just recently, the FLOCK Safety Cameras were pivotal in capturing the suspect in a road rage shooting that took the life of a 5-year-old child.
Still, I understand the concerns raised about privacy and the potential misuse of this technology. Any law enforcement tool this powerful must come with strong safeguards, clear policies, transparency, and accountability for those who have access to it. But one does not hold the police "accountable" by making criminals less accountable, which is the inevitable result if we were to cease Flock Safety camera usage.
As a City Council Member, I demand strict auditing to ensure a true criminal predicate exists before any officer accesses the database and that reason must be documented. FLOCK Safety has recently announced additional protections, including reducing its default data-retention period, requiring case codes to better document why searches are being conducted, requiring enhanced auditing tools mandatory to identify potentially improper searches, and giving local law enforcement agencies greater control over how their data is shared. These steps are essential to maintain public trust and prevent misuse of data.
It is also important to be clear about how HPD handles access to this technology. HPD does not provide U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to its Flock Safety camera network or data. HPD uses the cameras strictly as a public safety and investigative tool to identify vehicles connected to criminal activity, locate suspects, recover stolen vehicles, and help officers solve crimes. These safeguards are meaningful, but strong technology policies must also be paired with strong departmental oversight. Appropriate safeguards are necessary to prevent abuse, and HPD should ensure that every search is tied to a legitimate law enforcement purpose, that access is appropriately limited and audited, and that any misuse results in accountability.
Flock cameras are invaluable for investigative leads and have modernized police response much like DNA and fingerprints did decades ago. And most crucially, they cut officers' response times exponentially. This not only helps solve property crimes but saves lives. We cannot remove such a critical crime-fighting tool because of the possibility of misuse. Instead, we should require stringent safeguards to prevent misuse while allowing HPD to keep Houstonians safe.
Public safety and individual privacy do not have to be competing priorities. With strong policies, meaningful oversight, and clear accountability, I believe we can protect both.
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