Nathan Johnson said Flock cameras can help police but called for slowing deployment until Texas has stronger legal controls over access and sharing
Nathan Johnson2026 Democratic candidate for Texas attorney general
Nathan Johnson said Flock cameras can help police but called for slowing deployment until Texas has stronger legal controls over access and sharing.
“I don't think that they have been deployed responsibly.”
Interview
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Candidate interviews with Nathan Johnson and Mayes Middleton
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
CBS News Texas asked Johnson whether license-plate readers should continue to be used.
After the quotation
He proposed controlled investigative use, including warrants in some cases, rather than a ban.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Johnson said the cameras have not been deployed responsibly and called for slowing deployment until Texas has stronger legal controls over access and sharing. Allowing the cameras after a pause and with controls fits Mixed or conditional.
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More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- Nathan Johnson said Flock cameras can help police but called for slowing deployment until Texas has stronger legal controls over access and sharing
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The Dispute Index. "Nathan Johnson said Flock cameras can help police but called for slowing deployment until Texas has stronger legal controls over access and sharing". First published: 2026-09-29. Last updated: 2026-09-29. https://disputeindex.com/events/2871-nathan-johnson-said-flock-cameras-can-help-police