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Flock Safety Cameras

At a glance

  • What: Council voted unanimously on September 15, 2026 to have all fixed Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras removed from City property and rights-of-way within 60 days, and to bar new contracts for fixed networked plate readers.
  • Where it stands: Two directions to the City Manager passed 8-0 (Mayor Johnson did not vote on the main motions). The City Attorney was told to return a resolution to put the second direction into effect within 30 days.
  • Next: Removal deadline of roughly November 14, 2026 (60 days), or about December 14 if the remaining cameras are bagged or covered in the interim; the City Attorney's resolution was due back within 30 days of the vote (about October 15). No later records were read.

Item 25: removal of cameras

Item 25 directed the City Manager to ensure the removal, within 60 days, of all Flock Safety fixed ALPR cameras and related hardware on or within City property, City right-of-way or otherwise within the City's control, whether owned by Flock Safety, the City or a third party, by physically removing the equipment or coordinating its removal.

  • Commenting from the dais: Mayor Johnson and Representatives Chávez, Acevedo, Maldonado-Rocha, Niño, Fierro, Limón and Canales. Staff who commented: City Manager Mack, City Attorney Nieman, Assistant City Attorney Gutierrez, Police Chief Pacillas and Police Sergeant Longenbaugh.
  • Public speakers: Espino, Osmond, Ramirez and Gonzalez. Three other people submitted statements for the record.
  • Main motion by Canales, seconded by Limón.
  • Amendment by Canales, seconded by Acevedo, carried 8-0: if full removal is not possible within 60 days, enclosing the remaining cameras and accessory hardware (except ground-affixed poles) in fully opaque bags or covers that fully restrict their use is an acceptable interim alternative for an additional 30 days, after which all Flock hardware must be fully removed.
  • Final motion (main motion as amended) carried 8-0: Chávez, Acevedo, Maldonado-Rocha, Boyar Trejo, Niño, Fierro, Limón, Canales in favor.

Item 26: no new contracts

Item 26 directed the City Manager to refrain from entering into, executing, renewing or extending any contract or arrangement with Flock Safety or any other provider for fixed, networked ALPR cameras or substantially similar technology unless otherwise directed by later Council action, and directed the City Attorney to draft and return a resolution within 30 days.

  • Commenting: Mayor Johnson and Representatives Chávez, Acevedo, Maldonado-Rocha, Fierro and Canales; staff Nieman and Mack; public speakers Osmond and Turner, plus the same three written statements.
  • Main motion by Canales, seconded by Limón.
  • Amendment by Mayor Pro Tempore Chávez, seconded by Boyar Trejo: add "following a proposal or recommendation brought forward by the City Manager, the El Paso Police Department, or a member of the City Council" after "unless otherwise directed by subsequent action of the City Council." The amendment tied 4-4 (for: Chávez, Boyar Trejo, Niño, Fierro; against: Acevedo, Maldonado-Rocha, Limón, Canales) and Mayor Johnson broke the tie in favor, so it passed.
  • Final motion (as amended) carried 8-0.

Notes

  • The minutes record who spoke but not what was said; positions of the speakers and the officials' reasons are not in the minutes.

Sources

Log

2026-09-15 - City Council

Items 25 and 26. Council unanimously directed removal of all fixed Flock ALPR cameras within 60 days (with a 30-day covered-camera fallback) and barred new fixed-ALPR contracts, with the Mayor breaking a 4-4 tie on the amendment to item 26. The City Attorney was directed to return a resolution within 30 days.

2026-10-13 - City Council

Item 27, a resolution directing the city manager not to enter into or renew agreements with Flock Safety or similar providers for fixed networked license plate reader cameras, approved unanimously. Public commenters raised constitutional, data-ownership and national-security concerns.

2026-10-12 - City Council Work Session

The recording of this session also carries the regular meeting; the vote on this item matches the record on 2026-10-13 - City Council.