Flock of See-Grills
Too many of us are way too accepting of Flock Safety cameras and others like them. Too many of our family, friends, and neighbors abide by the old saying: “If you’re not doing anything wrong, who cares who’s watching you?” And that’s true to an extent. Is it really problematic if the cops spy you driving to Race Trac for a cold, refreshing Modelo Michelada tallboy at 2:34 p.m. on a Tuesday? (No. No, it is not.) The thing is: Laws change and not always sensibly, especially in this era of dumb, boneheaded decisions from the federal government on down.
Case in point: Abortion, which was legal for decades and rightfully so, is now illegal in 13 states, including Texas, though the often lifesaving procedure remains protected in states like Washington, Illinois, and 35 others. Into the gray area arrives the flock. Operated by John Law, the cameras situated on roadside poles, traffic lights, and street signs can follow women seeking reproductive health care out of state. In Johnson County recently, a sheriff used Flock cameras to track a woman allegedly seeking an abortion across state lines, based on a tip from her lover. (Wow. What a guy.)
They never caught her. Now, maybe Johnson County, the Meth Capital of North Texas, could kindly ask the sheriff’s department to do some actual policing that matters and keeps the citizenry safe instead of working overtime to win some sort of stupid Donald-J.-Trump-Ass-Kisser-of-the-Month award (which is still more valuable than the FIFA Peace Prize).
This utter nonsense underlines the debate: What that woman did was — technically — illegal but not wrong. The mother’s life, including her future, should always come first. It makes no sense otherwise.
Abortion is just one legally ambiguous, potentially lethal facet of this new flocking era, and if the White House succeeds in rigging the midterms like it’s trying to, lots of not-wrong stuff will become illegal — and trackable by the flock.
Like protesting. Like being overcome by the First Amendment Holy Ghost and Hulking out at public government meetings. Like writing anti-fascism op-eds. The flock will trail us home. Then there’s a knock at the door.
“If we do not resist tyranny now, we will be completely subject to the whims of the state,” the Libertarian Party recently posted. “This is America, land of the free. BLOCK FLOCK.”
Flock Safety cameras and others like them exist as automated license plate readers (ALPRs). Used by law enforcement to track down missing people or criminals, allegedly, ALPRs aren’t traditional traffic cameras. The surveillance tech allows them to record and track every car in view. An AI algorithm catalogs the plate number along with the make, model, and color of the vehicle — plus any bumper stickers or even scratches — and uploads the information into a nationwide database accessible to and searchable by any law enforcement agency contracting with Flock or another ALPR company. How the data is used comes with little regulatory framework or oversight.
ICE and Border Patrol regularly use Flock Safety cameras to target immigrants without warrants. Way too many cops have used the tech to stalk exes or other romantic interests. A Kansan who wrote an op-ed critical of his local police department was pursued by the force using Flock cameras, and police held a mother and her children at gunpoint after ALPRs wrongly flagged her car as stolen.
Is Flock Safety anywhere it is needed? As if you had to ask. The death of Black teenager Nolan Xavier Wells is still unsolved — has Flock Systems been able to help? What about Donald Trump’s would-be “assassins” who sneaked past security? Flock have any info on them?
And between March 2025 and August 2026, 24 Black people have been found hanged in the Deep South, some so high up that suicide is not plausible. As nearly every Black activist has said, Black people do not publicly hang themselves, so where is Flock on this? Why have all these “suicides” been closed or labeled as unsolved? If these bodies belonged to young white women, Donald J. Trump would be leading the investigation on all fours with his nose to the ground and Flock Systems would be right behind him. The cops aren’t doing shit about these lynchings, because of course not, but has Flock even lifted a finger? No. The answer is no, they have not, to all the above.
The ACLU says that less than 1% of cars scanned by policing ALPRs are connected to any crime and that one in 10 license plates scanned by Flock ALPRs misread the state.
Though Hood County Constable John Shirley is a Trump sycophant and bootlicker (how’s that D.C. dirt taste, Johnny?), he’s gone so far right on Flock Safety cameras that he’s done a hard left. In response to concerns from Hood County citizens and commissioners about privacy and mass-surveillance issues related to the ALPRs, Shirley blindfolded every single Flock camera in Hood County.
“I spent 20 years as a Houston police officer and sergeant,” Shirley recently posted. “I know that technology can help officers find stolen cars, locate dangerous suspects, find missing people, and solve serious crimes. There is absolutely a legitimate place for technology in policing. But there is a difference between using technology to investigate a crime and building a network capable of keeping a searchable record of where ordinary people travel. One camera reading a license plate at one location is one thing. Thousands of interconnected cameras that can be searched to determine where a vehicle has been over time is something else entirely. That’s where I have a problem.”
Shirley is not alone. Futurism says that at least 54 cities in 23 states have voted to get the Flock outta here.
Fort Worth is not one of them. Along with thousands of other U.S. cities, “Cowtown” *index finger twisting up nose* still operates Flock Safety cameras. Hood County is one of only two Texas counties to discontinue their relationship with the ALPR company. Imagine Hood County as more progressive than a wannabe metropolis like Fort Worth. It’s hard, really hard, yet here we are.
DeFlock Tarrant County will meet at 6:30pm Mon, Aug 24, at Spring Creek Barbecue in Bedford (1509 Airport Fwy, 817-545-0184).
Kudos, Council
Wait, are we in Fort Worth?
*steps outside, sings* “The stars at night / Are big and bright …”
*neighbors rush outside, clap three times* “Deep in the heart of Texas!” *neighbors rush back inside*
Yep. Still here. (Thanks, Pee-Wee.) I ask only because City Council assumed some bold, progressive measures last week that got to make you wonder if, to all our redneck brethren and sistren, yon Fort is even Worth Fortin’ for anymore. (It is. Now more than ever.)
One anti-MAGA move the council adopted is related to voting. As you News Roundup Hounds may recall (“News Roundup, Lonamania Edition,” Aug 13), not too long ago yours truly called for increasing polling sites as opposed to decreasing them as proposed by the county elections administrator. All the councilmembers must be Roundup Hounds because they voted unanimously across party lines to direct the commissioners court to increase the number of polling sites before the November midterms (with early voting starting Oct 19). The enthusiasm to cast ballots is there. Why not meet it?
“Voting should be about access and not voter suppression,” Councilmember Chris Nettles said in a statement. “This step sends a clear message that this council will not sit idly while voting opportunities are stripped from our residents.”
County commissioners will consider increasing or decreasing polling locations at the next commissioners court meeting, 10am Tue, Sep 1, downtown.
City Council was also unanimous in voting across party lines to begin a moratorium on data centers, which is a huge win for anyone who cares about, y’know, clean drinking water and functioning electricity. Council also went ahead and passed a resolution directing the city manager to create the Fort Worth Data Center and Infrastructure Commission. Comprising members of the business community, data center operations, environmental/natural resource management, local electricity providers, the Tarrant Regional Water District, and environmental advocacy organizations, the commission will also include five community members.
One last facet of City Council telling data center operators to slow their roll is an ordinance establishing filing requirements for applications to develop data centers in Fort Worth. All this is not much, considering data centers are hated by everyone left, right, and center, but it’s still something.
Lastly, City Council released a joint statement with the family of Atatiana Jefferson supporting the agreed settlement of $11.25 million with Jefferson’s family.
“This settlement doesn’t replace the life of Ms. Jefferson but serves as a debt that we owe in her wrongful murder in 2019,” Nettles continued. “This has been a long fight, but justice has finally prevailed.”
City Council will vote on the settlement on Tue, Aug 25.
This column reflects the opinions of the editorial board and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.
