Flock cameras continue to spark controversy across the country over potential violations of privacy and constitutional rights.
El Paso city leaders approved the use of more than 150 Flock cameras, so here is a guide to what you need to know about the surveillance cameras and other license plate readers used by law enforcement to track movement on local roadways.
Motorists driving on El Paso highways and roads are most likely to pass a few Flock cameras, as the devices are spread along major highways, roads, and intersections. Interstate 10, U.S. 54, Montana Avenue, Joe Battle Boulevard and Mesa Street have a large number of cameras. There are cameras near the University of Texas at El Paso.
Large sections of the city appear to have no Flock cameras,
including most of the Downtown area near El Paso City Hall, Enrique Moreno County Courthouse, Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse and Southwest University Park. Long sections of the border highway also show no Flock cameras.
El Paso Police Department spokeswoman Stephanie Shields said the department does not have a "public map" of the camera locations.
The cameras are posted near "regional command areas based on activity hot-spots," El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas said in a memo sent to City Council in August 2025.
Search below to see where Flock cameras are located in your neighborhood.
What are Flock cameras?
Automated license plate readers (ALPR), more commonly known as Flock cameras because of the leading company that makes them, are a type of surveillance camera that records a vehicle's license plate number, make, model, and color. It also captures bumper stickers, car body damage and other identifying features.
The Flock cameras are an AI-powered search engine for a surveillance network. The previously used license plate readers only focused on license plates, while Flock cameras provide more details about vehicles in general.
Along with Flock Safety, other license plate reader companies include Motorola Solutions, Leonardo US Cyber and Security Solutions, LLC and Genetec.
The El Paso area has mostly Flock Safety cameras.
What are Flock cameras used for in El Paso?
The El Paso Police Department has about 150 Flock cameras, which cost $702,500. The entire cost was covered by a Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant awarded to the agency, Pacillas' memo states. The cameras started being installed in May 2025.
Pacillas listed several reasons in his memo for why the cameras were needed and how they were helping his officers solve cases. The reasons included:
- Enhance public safety by helping deter and reduce crimes
- Faster criminal investigations
- Improving investigation efficiency
- Increasing stolen vehicle recovery
- Crime prevention through visibility
- Resource optimization
- Pattern and trend analysis
- Evidence collection and prosecution support
The department created a "Flock Safety Transparency Portal" website to address concerns of El Pasoans.
El Paso police have used license plate reader technology for nearly two decades, the agency states on its website.
Horizon City Police Department and Socorro Police Department are among law enforcement agencies that have Flock cameras. El Paso County constables work with the El Paso Police Department to utilize the cameras in their investigations.
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to questions about the agency's use of Flock cameras.
DeFlock, an open-source website that tracks automated license plate readers across the U.S., shows nearly 400 cameras spanning from Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Tornillo in eastern El Paso County. The website relies on community members to report Flock cameras. The information on the website comes only from users and does not include information from private companies or government agencies.
What does a Flock camera look like?
In Texas, Flock automatic license plate readers are small, rounded black boxes mounted on roadside poles, often topped with a solar panel.
Are Flock cameras near me?
There are Flock cameras throughout El Paso County, ranging from the Texas-New Mexico state line in West and Northeast El Paso to the far East Side.
Most cameras are placed on high-traffic roads and highways in El Paso. U.S. 54, which goes from South to Northeast El Paso, has at least 25 license plate readers, DeFlock reports.
Joe Battle Boulevard, which starts north in East El Paso and stretches south to the Lower Valley, has more than 15 cameras.
Interstate 10 has more than 20 cameras stretching from the Texas-New Mexico state line to far East El Paso County.
Four Flock cameras are pointing in four different directions at the intersection of Redd Road and Resler Drive in West El Paso.
Who funded El Paso's Flock cameras?
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles operates the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant.
"The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA) has fostered a statewide cooperative network of law enforcement groups, prosecutors, insurance industry representatives, local tax assessor-collectors, and concerned citizens to combat vehicle theft and burglary through enforcement, prevention, public information, and education initiatives," the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles website states.
The El Paso Police Department's Auto Theft Task Force received more than $2,023,000 in Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grants, including for the Flock cameras, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles records show. The grants also cover the police's efforts to combat motor vehicle and catalytic converter theft.
The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 224 in 2023, which increased the fee an insurer must pay to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority. Insurance companies are ordered to pay $4 multiplied by the total number of motor vehicle years of insurance for policies delivered, the bill states.
Why are Flock cameras controversial?
Several civil rights organizations have raised concerns over privacy and violations of the U.S. Constitution, claiming law enforcement is using the cameras to track and arrest people without obtaining a warrant.
"Flock's ALPR cameras aren't like your normal traffic cameras," the American Civil Liberties Union, a national civil rights orgaination, states in a "Fight Creepy ALPR Cameras" and "Get the Flock Out" pages on its website. "This surveillance technology records and tracks every car that comes into view, and then an AI algorithm catalogs the make, model, color, license plate number, bumper stickers, and even scratches.
"This personal information is then uploaded into a nationwide database that any law enforcement agency with a Flock contract can search — with few regulations or oversight on how they use what they find."
Officers are not using the cameras to track community members, Shields said
"We take community concerns seriously and are committed to being transparent about how this technology is used," Shields said. "This is a carefully controlled investigative tool—not mass surveillance. It helps officers solve crimes and protect the community while respecting privacy and constitutional rights. We’ll continue to review its use and make adjustments as technology, best practices, and community expectations evolve."
Why are cities getting rid of Flock cameras?
Several cities across the U.S., including Texas cities Austin and San Antonio and Flagstaff, Arizona, have removed Flock cameras, Newsweekreported.
The city councils in those cities elected not to renew the Flock camera contracts for various reasons, including community members' concerns and vandalism.
USA Today reported cases of vandalism to Flock cameras across the country. Examples include the cameras being shot at in Tennessee, hit with a truck in California, beat with a baseball bat in Virginia, cut down with a saw in Texas, splattered with paint in New York and regularly blocked by a lone protester in Florida.
El Paso police addressed cities moving to remove the cameras from their websites.
"Every city makes decisions based on its own policies, oversight, and community expectations," the website states. "El Paso has used license plate reader technology since 2006, under multiple city councils, without privacy violations. Our program includes strict retention limits, ownership protections, and oversight measures that may differ from other jurisdictions."
Does EPPD need City Council approval for grants?
The police and other city departments must present a formal resolution and post an agenda item when accepting external grants, the city's website states.
The city policy states that the City Council must approve the grants "to develop, implement and maintain meaningful grant oversight, and coordination for the City."
Does EPPD seek court approval before tracking an individual?
No, law enforcement does not need a court-issued warrant to use Flock cameras.
Flock cameras can only be used when officers are investigating a crime and have probable cause, Shields said.
"The system isn’t used to track individuals, create profiles, or monitor vehicles without a specific investigative reason," Shields said. "Searches are connected to a case and require a legitimate investigative purpose. Information is automatically deleted after 30 days unless it’s being preserved as evidence in an active investigation."
What recent arrests were made in El Paso using Flock cameras?
A string of recent arrests in El Paso has brought the issue of using Flock cameras back into the spotlight.
Flock cameras were used in a murder investigation after a body was found fatally shot in a car in far East El Paso. Police detectives used the cameras to identify a vehicle leaving the shooting scene. Investigators used the camera footage to see where the vehicle was driven after the shooting and got the license plate information, which helped lead them to identify a suspect.
The El Paso County Constable's Office Precinct Three officials have sent out news releases touting the aid Flock cameras have provided to law enforcement. The news releases have highlighted two cases in which people with outstanding warrants were arrested using Flock cameras. Constable Hector Bernal declined to answer questions about his agency's use of the Flock cameras, directing all questions to the El Paso Police Department.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Flock cameras near me? Search El Paso camera locations
