Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials say the company that makes license plate scanning cameras Houston police use extensively for crime fighting has been operating illegally and ordered the company to stop immediately.
A July 10 cease-and-desist letter, first reported by the Galveston County Daily News, alleges Flock Safety has operated as a private security business without a license and that it must stop operating until it gets state authorization.
“If you continue to operate without a license, the department may take additional action including civil penalties and referring the matter to the local prosecutor for possible criminal action,” the letter said.
Officials with the company said Thursday that they have been complying with the certification process and that Flock customers hadn’t seen any change in service.
“Flock has been proactively working with the DPS to determine which licenses apply to Flock,” officials said in a news release. “When DPS informed us we need to complete a certification process for a private investigations license, we immediately initiated the process and we anticipate we will obtain the official certification shortly.”
Representatives of the state agency did not immediately comment on the cease-and-desist letter.
Company officials said the licensing issue wouldn’t affect Texas law enforcement agencies that use the technology.
Houston has 3,800 license plate reading cameras, then-acting Police Chief Larry Satterwhite said in May.
The cameras track license plates, and the technology will notify law enforcement if the vehicle has links to past crimes. While law enforcement experts in Houston and elsewhere have praised the technology for helping investigators solve crimes faster, it does not come without controversy.
Some civil rights groups have voiced concern about how the technology stores data and intrudes on peoples' privacy, since it is gathering location data on vehicles that have not been tied to a crime.
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Department of Public Safety Puts Flock Safety on Notice
News reports say that Flock Safety is operating without proper licensing, as the Texas Department of Public Safety has issued a cease-and-desist order. The company says it is complying and police departments so far aren't impacted.
Flock Safety
