Editor's note: This article was updated to include comment from Flock Safety, which was submitted after the time of publishing.
College Station City Council unanimously approved a grant application at its April 23 meeting tied to the city's automated license plate reader camera system. The approval followed public comment about privacy and surveillance concerns.
The gist
Council members allowed the College Station Police Department to apply for a Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority catalytic converter grant that would help fund the city's contract with Flock Safety, a company that operates license plate reader cameras.
The grant would provide $308,700 toward the program, with the city responsible for a 20% match of $61,742. The city clarified that if the grant and contract are awarded, this will be a three-year contract with Flock with annual renewals.
Police Chief Billy Couch described the system as an effective investigative tool used to combat vehicle theft and traveling crime. He cited cases involving burglaries and recovered stolen property linked to license plate reader alerts.
What residents are saying
Several residents spoke against Flock during public comment, arguing the cameras allow warrantless tracking and rely on data storage controlled by a private company.
Speakers questioned data security practices, artificial intelligence capabilities associated with the system, and whether information could be shared with third parties or used beyond local law enforcement purposes.
College Station resident James Sun said he was concerned about the ability for law enforcement to track residents using the technology.
"These cameras do more than just capture license plates," he said.
Addressing these concerns, Couch said data collected by the cameras is encrypted, retained for 30 days and accessible only to authorized personnel. He said searches require supervisory approval and are subject to periodic audits, relieving some concerns about authority misusing the technology.
Community Impact reached out to Flock for comment and to allow the company to address public concerns. As of the time of publication, Flock has not responded.
What council is saying
While council ultimately voted to approve the grant application, several members voiced caution about emerging surveillance technology.
Council member Bob Yancy said he supports law enforcement but raised questions about contract language, referencing business purpose and third-party data sharing.
Meanwhile, council member Melissa McIlhaney said she would have preferred additional discussion about risks associated with AI systems before pursuing additional funding.
What Flock is saying
Community Impact reached out to Flock to address the public concerns.
"We recognize that people have real questions about how this technology works. Our goal is to help local agencies solve and prevent crime while respecting civil liberties," Flock said in a statement. "Local agencies own and control 100% of their data, and Flock cannot sell customer data. Data sharing is off by default and only happens if the agency chooses to enable it. Additionally, license plate data is automatically and permanently deleted on a rolling 30‑day basis by default, unless a different retention period is required by local law or policy.
The takeaway
The vote primarily addressed funding rather than policy direction, Mayor John Nichols said.
City Manager Brian Woods noted how the city remains contractually obligated for the camera system regardless of the grant decision, meaning rejecting the funding would likely shift costs to the city's general fund. However, if the city were to decide they didn't want to use Flock, they'd have to return the grant money.
Nichols requested semiannual updates from police on how the cameras are used and what results they produce.
Also on the agenda
College Station City Council approved multiple items in a single vote, including:
- A contract with Mitchell and Morgan for road and utility design work along Corporate Parkway, worth $984,160
- A resolution supporting the city's involvement in a proposed Future Interstate Highway Formula Program tied to the development of I-14 and a future I-214 loop around Bryan-College Station
- Replacing pumping equipment at Water Well No. 6, totaling $323,367
During a workshop presentation, the public works department reported College Station is maintaining 371 miles of roadway, adding four miles since 2025.
Annual street maintenance spending increased from $5.8 million last year to $6.5 million this year. Nichols said the change was largely driven by inflation and ongoing infrastructure needs.
As part of its regular agenda, the council decided to:
- Rezone 222 acres on Greens Prairie Road from rural to restricted suburban to advance a residential developer's proposal that will create 886 lots
- Update College Station's "no more than four" shared housing ordinance to remove references to family status, establish parking and structural criteria, and limit specific zoning districts in compliance with Senate Bill 1567
