City halts police license plate reader program after public pushback

a year ago

City Council was scheduled to vote on June 5 to indefinitely continue an ALPR pilot program, but City Manager T.C. Broadnax withdrew the item due to public opposition.
APD leaders, including Chief Lisa Davis, support ALPRs as a key crime-fighting tool, while opponents argue they represent surveillance overreach and unwanted data-sharing.
The ALPR pilot program, which cost $114,000, was revived in 2022 after a 2020 suspension and has led to dozens of arrests based on millions of license plate scans.
Council members and community groups oppose ALPRs, citing concerns about civil liberties, personal privacy, and potential misuse of data by entities like ICE.
Council member Zo Qadri labeled ALPRs as 'bad policy' and highlighted a new Flock tool that could build extensive personal profiles from limited ALPR data.
Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes suggested addressing APD's recruiting strategy to fill vacancies and enforcement gaps as an alternative to ALPRs.
The Flock ALPR program extension could return for council consideration before the end of 2025, while over 500 ALPRs on APD vehicles continue operating under separate contracts.
Nearby San Marcos also voted against an expanded contract with Flock for additional ALPRs on June 3.
ALPRs are used in many Central Texas cities, but some officials have expressed reservations about the technology.

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