Dallas police are sharply reducing the number of outside agencies that can access the department’s Flock camera data amid growing concerns about privacy and potential misuse of the technology. The Dallas Police Department has reduced access from more than 1,500 outside agencies to 202, all loca ted within Texas. DPD has also stopped sharing Flock data with federal partners. The changes come as Dallas weighs the future of a network of more than 670 Flock cameras equipped with license plate readers. The cameras provide police with real-time information that can help locate vehicles tied to violent crimes and stolen vehicles, as well as help find missing people. Amid growing privacy concerns nationally, 321 Flock cameras in Dallas are set to go dark next week after Gov. Greg Abbott pulled state funding, citing reported misuse of Flock technology by officers in other cities. “The misuse has got to be our focus right now – we’ve got to be able to assure the public and reinstate trust that this tool can be used,” Kathy Stewart said. Dallas’ Public Safety Committee received an update Monday on DPD’s use of Flock technology, six days after the City Council signaled support for keeping $1.5 million in Flock funding for next year. “I do not believe that any of the potential for misuse of this tool outweighs the value of the tool,” Stewart said. Concerns also persist over how long Dallas police retain Flock data. The department’s current retention policy is 365 days. Deputy Chief William Griffith said the longer retention period has helped DPD solve more business robberies and 13 murders this year. “We’re aware of the community’s concerns about the technology itself,” Griffith said. Trevor Chandler, head of policy and public affairs for Flock Safety, said individual agencies control their own data and determine how widely it is shared. “Every agency owns their own data – and they are the ones who decide who they share with,” Chandler said. “Some cities chose to share in a very wide radius – some cities choose to share not at all,” Chandler said. Chandler told council members Monday that Flock is rolling out proactive auditing designed to detect atypical searches more quickly, which could help identify potential officer misuse nationally. Dallas police, meanwhile, have responded to concerns by dramatically narrowing access to the city’s Flock data, limiting it to 202 Texas agencies and eliminating data sharing with federal partners. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. ...read more read less