To “Flock”, or not to “Flock” …

By Gloria Way

   Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne hosted a town hall meeting Monday evening at White’s Park to have an open, transparent discussion on the use and application of the controversial automated license plate readers, commonly referred to as “flock” cameras. Flock Safety is the company that produces the technology for the surveillance cameras.

  Assisting Hawthorne were Chief Deputies Skylor Hearn and Nate Shelton and Captain Tanner Dickens, and Mont Belvieu Chief of Police Jimmy Ellison and Assistant Chief Erik Kvarme.

  Close to 60 people attended the meeting. Hawthorne presented a power point on the use of the cameras. Included in the presentation were the benefits of using the cameras as a crime fighting tool and a demonstration of how the cameras work. Hawthorne stressed that before law enforcement can access the data in the camera, a “ping” from the cameras can only be initiated by a member of law enforcement searching for a certain vehicle due to a reported crime or suspected crime which involves said vehicle. In other words, a case number must have been already provided for a potential crime to authorize law enforcement to search for a specific vehicle off the cameras.

  Those individuals who spoke at the meeting were deeply passionate about privacy issues and who has access to the data collected by the cameras. There was concern about law enforcement agencies throughout the country having the ability to access the data in the cameras in our area at will. Who owns the data and how it could be used was a hot topic at the meeting. There was concern about how flock cameras falsely identified a vehicle of a woman in Florida, falsely accusing her of committing a crime where she spent weeks in jail before she was cleared of committing the crime. Other examples were given on how some people who could access the system, used it to “stalk” or keep track of ex-wives, ex-husbands, or any person they selected to find out their whereabouts. Hawthorne stated that in Chambers County, law enforcement is strictly trained in accessing the data from the cameras. “I can assure you that any breach of the system will not occur on our side,” stated Hawthorne. “Admittedly, there have been cases of law enforcement abusing the system, and there are laws in place to deal with the perpetrators.”

   One attendee asked Hawthorne to put the use of flock cameras on the ballot so people can vote on the it. Citizens could initiate a petition drive to eliminate flock cameras in the county. Chambers County Commissioners Court did vote to approve the Flock Safety camera system at the December 23, 2025, Commissioners Court meeting. The Court authorized the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office to purchase the Flock Safety platform for $138,000, using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

  Sheriff Hawthorne stated that there currently are 34 cameras in his jurisdiction while Chief Ellison said that the City of Mont Belvieu also has 34 cameras within its city limits. Both Hawthorne and Ellison strongly voiced their support for the cameras. “If we can save one life, or prevent the kidnapping of one child, it is definitely work it,” said Hawthorne.