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El Paso Council Members Put Flock License-Plate Camera Program Up for Review Ahead of May Renewal

The review follows national audits exposing cross-jurisdictional Flock data searches.

Overview

  • City Reps. Lily Limon and Chris Canales placed the Flock camera program on Tuesday’s El Paso City Council agenda to address privacy risks.
  • Limon cited potential immigration uses as her chief concern, warning the technology could be used to target residents.
  • Roughly 150 Flock cameras operate in El Paso, with plate data typically retained for 30 days and searchable by police, according to an Institute for Justice attorney.
  • Advocates pointed to reported cases elsewhere of immigration-related queries and alleged officer misuse, including stalking, to argue for stronger safeguards.
  • The contract with Flock Safety is up for renewal in May, and El Paso’s review comes as other municipalities reevaluate or end Flock agreements following recent audits.