Austin's automatic license plate reader program will end June 30

Austin's city manager has removed an item concerning the city's automated license plate reader (ALPR) program from Thursday's city council agenda.

The program will officially end on June 30.

Why is the program ending?

The backstory:

T.C. Broadnax said in a statement Tuesday night that staff will be withdrawing Item 67, a proposed extension of the city's ALPR program, from Thursday's agenda.

Broadnax cites concerns expressed by Austin residents during the council's work session on Tuesday as a reason behind his decision.

"Given concerns expressed today, I have decided to withdraw this item from the agenda at this time to provide more opportunities to address council members’ questions and do our due diligence to alleviate concerns prior to bringing this item back to City Council for consideration," Broadnax said in his message to the Mayor and Council. 

Some council members say they'll continue to oppose it if it comes up again.

Police say the cameras help with public safety and have helped them solve crimes. However, critics are worried about privacy and surveillance.

In 2022, City Council granted the Austin Police Department the authority to use Flock cameras. 

In 2024, the cameras went live, and council approved a three-month extension in March of this year. The vote to continue it has been dropped due to concerns about how the data is used.

The other side:

Council members Zo Qadri, Mike Siegel, and Vanessa Fuentes held a press conference speaking against the program.

"While I'm glad the item was pulled, I know it goes well beyond Flock as an entity. It's bad policy," Qadri said. "It's not protecting people, it's weaponizing surveillance against them."

Related

Automated license plate readers spark worries of mass surveillance in San Marcos, Austin

Worries about mass surveillance have both Austin and San Marcos debating the future of automated license plate reader (ALPR) programs.

They say nationwide, there have been instances of agencies like ICE tapping into the data and other instances of tracking people getting abortion care.

"I don't believe APD would ever authorize something like that, but the problem is we don't control the tools. Once the data is collected, it can be accessed by ICE or other departments out of state using Flock's network," Qadri said.

"It makes no sense for us to continue with the tool when so much trust and confidence has been lost and when we certainly can't have that trust at the federal level," Fuentes said.

By the numbers:

APD has complied with eight requests for data from outside agencies, including DPS.

In a work session Tuesday, APD says the system has helped them find 176 stolen vehicles and catch numerous violent suspects. The data is kept for seven days, and any requests follow guidelines.

"We have robust safeguards in place to ensure the requests that are coming in are monitored and reviewed," Assistant Chief Sheldon Askew said.

APD says not having the program will make it more difficult to solve crimes. 

"We're more successful when we have technologies such as ALPR to do it," Askew said. 

"I would like to think they have the tools outside of bringing forward something that infringes on the rights and the safety and the well-being of our community to get the job done," Qadri said.

What's next:

The item could come back to the council in a few months.

"We're going to continue to make sure, as a coalition, that we protect privacy, that protect civil liberties in all of our city's public safety programs," Siegel said. 

As for whether the physical cameras will be taken down or disconnected, council members say they'll have to talk to the city manager.

Other council members speak out

What they're saying:

Council member Paige Ellis:

"There were very real concerns about ALPRs raised at yesterday’s work session—particularly around data privacy and potential misuse. If this program were to continue, we’d need much stronger guardrails in place. At the same time, license plate readers have been a helpful tool in solving serious crimes, and I recognize their value when used responsibly. It’s also important to note that this technology is already in use by private and other governmental entities—not just APD—so residents should be aware of the broader landscape. I look forward to continued dialogue that prioritizes both public safety and civil liberties."

Council member Natasha Harper-Madison:

"I want to thank the City Manager for hearing the concerns raised by community members and Council, and for withdrawing this item to allow more time for continued dialogue. I’ve heard a range of concerns from my constituents and this pause gives us the opportunity to keep asking important questions, weigh potential impacts, and ensure that any decision we make is one we can stand behind in the long run." 

Council member Chito Vela:

"I share my colleagues’ concerns about ALPRs, and I appreciate the City Manager’s decision to withdraw the item. Careful thought is needed on data privacy and legal protections before considering any ALPR program."

Resident concerns

Local perspective:

A press release from the office of council member Mike Siegel says that dozens of residents showed up to the work session to testify about the program.

"The speakers overwhelmingly testified against the use of ALPRs, citing concerns about personal privacy, threats to immigrant families, threats to political dissidents, and more. Much of the testimony focused on the City’s ALPR vendor, Flock, which works closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to develop profiles of vehicles based on camera footage and other sources," said the release.

Flock statement

What they're saying:

Flock, the company behind the cameras, sent a statement to FOX 7 Austin:

"Our philosophy as a company is that we rely on the democratic process. Flock does not decide which criminal codes to enforce. But we are committed to ensuring that every customer can leverage Flock technology in a way that reflects their values. Community safety does not need to come at the expense of community values.

Austin Police Department's LPR program resulted in 165 arrests, approximately 134 prosecutions, and 1 missing/endangered person recovered. It's clear that this technology has contributed to public safety benefit in the city, as reiterated by the Austin Police Department in their presentation earlier this week.

Flock has designed our technology with accountability mechanisms built into the system. Every search that is conducted on an agency's cameras is preserved permanently in an audit trail - enabling oversight and transparency for every search. 

Flock does not have any contracts with ICE or the Department of Homeland Security. Every agency has discretion regarding whether and how they collaborate with the federal government - or other local police departments - on law enforcement investigations. Some agencies choose to work with the federal government, including on complex multi-jurisdictional cases like child trafficking. Others choose not to. This is a choice left entirely up to agencies. Regardless of their decision, if searches are conducted on Flock, the reasons for those searches will be preserved permanently in an audit trail."

You can read the full statement from the CEO here.

Austin police statement

What they're saying:

The Austin Police Department sent a statement to FOX 7 Austin:

"The Austin Police Department fully supports the City Manager’s decision to withdraw the item related to Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs). Listening to the concerns raised by our community members and elected officials has given us an important opportunity to pause and reassess the path forward.

This includes increased focus on education, community engagement, active listening, and further research to ensure we are addressing all perspectives. The City of Austin and Austin Police Department deserves access to the most effective technology, tools, and resources to keep our community, and our officers safe.

The use of technology plays a critical role in how cases are solved and removing dangerous criminals from our streets. It is essential for us to responsibly look at ways to expand access to investigative technologies. 

I look forward to the continued conversations that will be taking place as we all work together advancing our technology use in a way that aligns with all our values."

The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen, previous coverage, and statements from Austin City Council members

Austin City CouncilAustinCrime and Public Safety