Resident urges pause on Flock license‑plate readers citing privacy and cybersecurity concerns

Cedar Park—During public comment, resident Carlos Mueller urged the City Council to pause the use of Flock automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) cameras until the city completes privacy protections, data‑retention limits and a public audit.

Mueller told the council that ALPR systems collect movement histories for all drivers and raised Fourth Amendment concerns, quoting the U.S. Supreme Court’s Carpenter decision on location data. He referenced recent local actions, saying Austin ended its Flock program after an internal audit that found 10–20% of searches lacked required documentation, and that San Marcos allowed a contract to expire after public concern.

Mueller also cited recent letters from two U.S. senators requesting an FTC inquiry into Flock’s cybersecurity practices and described independent cybersecurity research that reported vulnerabilities such as weak authentication and potential access to officer contact information. "For this reason and the reasons I stated above, I asked the council to pause or put a stop on the program, prioritize privacy protections, clear data sharing limits, perform a public audit, and hold a public hearing," he said.

Council thanked Mueller and indicated staff would accept his submitted correspondence. The council did not take immediate action on the comment but acknowledged the request and the potential for a future agenda item and public hearing.