It was standing room only at the Monday, Sept. 14 Erath County Commissioners Court meeting with citizens issuing concerns over Flock cameras before the commissioners approved a tax rate and budget which included $30,000 for Flock camera software access.
After the meeting, Erath County Judge Brandon Huckabee said 10 Flock cameras had been installed along major county thoroughfares since 2025. Additional cameras exist through other law enforcement entities (including DPS) totaling 20 in the entire county.
During the court meeting in public comments, Debra Davenel, Heather Anderson, Jay Anderson, Rick Gann and Hood County Commissioner Dave Eagle all spoke against Flock cameras.
Both Ted Green and Erath County Attorney Alan Nash spoke in favor of the use of Flock in Erath County.
Hood County Commissioner Eagle cautioned the county on approving any agreements with Flock, and detailed Hood County’s experience with them.
“Since October of 2024, a lot has happened. What is the issue with Flock? Does having mass surveillance out there violate the 4th amendment and provide a warrant with no probable cause?”
Eagle said over the past year and a half, Hood County has decided they didn’t want to deal with the company and canceled their contract.
“They are refusing to refund our money,” he said. “We have passed this on to exterior counsel and are deciding if we are going to approve a lawsuit.”
Davenel presented a packet to the commissioners and the judge including information regarding the Flock contract and questions regarding expenditures.
“I am not here to clean up County Government. I’m here to demand you cover these cameras until you succeed in getting out of this contract, as well as any ALPR related agreements, and commit to no others unless you are fully transparent and fully inform the citizens what they are configured to do,” Davenel said. “If there are county contracted Flock cameras uncovered and recording at 5 p.m. this Friday, I will once again take up my newfound job as an independent journalist … Do the right thing by the people and stop this surveillance of the citizens.” Gann said he recognized the use of Flock cameras to law enforcement and appreciated the work police do in the county.
“But because the program involves taxpayer dollars, contracts and technology that collects information about vehicles traveling throughout our country, I believe our citizens deserve clear answers about how this agreement was entered into and what exactly did we agree to?” Gann said.
Gann asked for several questions to be addressed publicly including the timeline of the contract being signed, whether the county attorney reviewed the agreement, what did the county agree to, did it have fixed terms and clarification on how the cameras are used and what cameras does the county have.
Jay Anderson spoke about the importance of rights for his children - and for his future grandchildren.
“The questions they will ask is who was involved, what did they do and who stood up for them?” he said. “The loss of rights begins with the erosion of rights. It doesn’t happen in one moment.”
Jay said he believed they might have some good uses, but the Justice Department has found portions of them to be ineffective and the cost to be too high.
Heather Anderson, who has been behind the fight against Flock cameras in Erath County on social media and had an online petition with 1,200 citizens against the company addressed the court.
Heather spoke about the process of acquiring Flock cameras, which the Citizen later confirmed with the county.
In the summer of 2024, the Erath County Sheriff’s Office mentioned Flock cameras as a request inside its budget during a general budget workshop with department heads.
In September 2024, the funds were approved through the regular budget approval.
In October 2024, Sheriff Matt Coates signed the agreement to order the cameras.
On Nov. 25, 2024, the agenda item “Discussion and action to approve Flock LPR resolution for the Sheriff’s Office” was listed and approved. This multiuse agreement resolution included a resolution for TxDot right-of-way on where to place the Flock cameras.
A payment was made the same month for $41,900 and cameras were installed in 2025.
Heather said a concern is Flock’s continuous changes of conditions.
“Taxpayer dollars should not subject to changing terms and conditions,” she said.
“I understand this can be an important tool for law enforcement, but don’t forget the most important tool you have – We the People. When good citizens begin feeling like they are being treated as criminals by constant surveillance, you risk losing their trust,” she said. “When law enforcement loses that trust, people become less likely to provide information and help.”
Huckabee said after the meeting he is unsure if the county attorney reviewed the contract because the attorney has changed since then and every single contract for software is not necessarily reviewed by an attorney.
Green voiced his strong support of the license plate reader technology for local law enforcement.
He said the cameras were an asset with major throughfares running through the county increasing the vulnerabilities associated with rural living.
“Cargo theft, transportation of illicit substances, human trafficking, wanted dangerous subjects wandering through our backyards are part of the uses,” he said. “And it’s my understanding we caught a firebug utilizing these cameras.”
Green called LPRs a force multiplier since with a large geographical area law enforcement cannot be everywhere at once.
“It is a tool to be able to do their jobs more efficiently,” he said.
District Attorney Nash said from his perspective they were a very useful tool for law enforcement and applauded the sheer number of people in attendance to discuss civil liberties.
“I cannot vouch for how they are used in Chicago, Illinois. I cannot state how they do things in New York, New York. But I can tell you here in Erath County how they are used,” he said. “When a crime is committed, there are two things we want to do. We want to rule in potential suspects, and we want to rule out suspects.”
Nash said cameras are helpful when people say they are somewhere else, or in a suspicious area, but they are also helpful when tips are given that are incorrect so people can be removed as a suspect.
“That’s how our sheriff’s department, our police department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety do things in Erath County,” Nash said.
Both Nash and Green recognized the potential for abuse to occur which has already been caught through safeguards and audits in other areas of the country.
Nash said he expects the Legislature to address Flock cameras and put up additional guardrails in the next session.
“I sometimes get frustrated when imperfect things become law. Ronald Regan said, ‘Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.’ There is no tool that we use in law enforcement that is perfect,” Nash said. “Here in Erath County, I can vouch for every law enforcement officer in our county.”
Towards the end of the meeting, Sheriff Matt Coates asked the court to look into the Flock contract since he is being told repeatedly that he signed it.
“My understanding is it doesn’t matter if I signed it or not, it’s not binding until you guys say it’s binding,” Coates said. “I don’t remember. If I have done anything wrong, I ask you to hold me accountable. If we need to contact an outside agency, usually the Texas Rangers would be the ones to investigate me, bring them in,” Coates said, encouraging the county commissioners to put him on administrative leave if they felt the need.