License Plate Camera Plan Shut Down

Princeton City Council voted 5-1 on Sept. 8 to sunset the city’s plans for automated license plate reader technology after a lengthy debate over privacy, policy and public trust. The action stopped both the city’s pending Flock Safety project and its separate Vigilant program from moving forward.

Police told council that Princeton had no cameras currently operating. Staff said six fixed Vigilant cameras had been approved in 2024 using ARPA funds and were being installed at three intersections, with activation expected by the end of September. The department also said six temporary Flock cameras arrived Aug. 26 but had not been installed, while permanent Flock cameras funded through the Texas Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority had been delayed pending TxDOT approval.

During the discussion, residents urged council to reject both Flock and similar systems, saying the technology could allow broad tracking of people who are not suspected of crimes. Speakers questioned how long data would be retained, who outside Princeton could access it, whether searches would be audited, and whether local written rules were already in place. Several cited unsettled court questions and asked the city to pause until there was clearer legal guidance.

Police defended the systems as investigative tools, not continuous video surveillance or GPS tracking. Sgt. Carolyn Crawford said the department has used license plate reader technology in investigations with positive outcomes, including a case in which outside agencies helped track a suspect vehicle from Princeton into Missouri. But when asked how often the technology had solved crimes, police said they did not have a case total available at the meeting.

Council members were divided, but several said the city should not move ahead without stronger policy detail or clearer direction from higher levels of government. Mayor Brianna Escobar said residents had repeatedly expressed that they were not comfortable with fixed camera systems and said elected officials should listen. After an initial motion to continue with installation failed for lack of a second, council approved a motion to sunset the ALPR technologies.