TEXAS CITY, TX — Texas City police said an internal audit of the city’s Flock license plate reader system found two employees who used the technology for improper purposes, including a dispatcher who searched for her own child 42 times and a sergeant who was later demoted.
The findings were presented Wednesday night during a special Texas City Commission meeting that focused partly on the department’s use of automated license plate readers. Assistant Police Chief James Patterson said the review began in August and uncovered the two cases.
According to police, the dispatcher received a multi-day suspension. The sergeant was demoted to police officer and also given a multi-day suspension after investigators sustained several policy violations.
Audit uncovers two separate misuse cases in the department
Patterson said the first case involved a dispatcher who used the Flock system to check on a child driving a vehicle the dispatcher owned. Police said the searches were made 42 times. The employee was disciplined with a multi-day suspension.
The second case involved a sergeant who used the system for non-law-enforcement purposes on multiple occasions. Patterson did not say exactly what the sergeant was looking for or why, citing the personnel nature of the matter.
The department said both cases were referred to the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office Public Integrity Unit. Prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges, police said.
Questions raised about how Texas City monitored Flock use before August
The audit also prompted questions about whether the department had been monitoring Flock searches closely before the misuse cases were found. Patterson said he was not aware of how the previous administration handled auditing.
He said the department wanted to begin reviewing its own activity in August after Flock became a national topic and a subject of growing attention locally. The goal, he said, was to make sure officers were using the technology only for its intended purpose.
When asked if no prior audits may have been conducted, Patterson said that was possible. Texas City police said the August review examined departmentwide Flock activity and led to the two findings.
Texas City tightens access and adds monthly oversight
Police said they have since changed how employees can use the system. Before a search is allowed, authorized users must enter a case number, the type of offense and a specific reason for the search.
The department also cut back the number of people allowed to search the database. Patterson said access is now limited to about 25 to 30 sworn members, including sergeants and above and detectives.
Supervisors will now review employee use of the system every month. Police said the added oversight is meant to reduce misuse and improve accountability around the technology.
Police say the city’s 28 cameras have helped solve major cases
Despite the discipline cases, department leaders defended the technology and said it has helped investigators move faster on serious crimes. Texas City currently has 28 Flock cameras, including 26 fixed cameras and two mobile units, and police said there are no plans to add more.
Patterson cited a copper theft investigation involving about $500,000 in theft and damage to the city. He said the cameras played a major role in helping officers identify and apprehend suspects.
He also pointed to a homicide at the Zabon Villas apartment complex, saying police made an arrest in about an hour with help from Flock data. “It’s been a great tool for us,” Patterson said.
Texas City reviews data sharing as other Houston-area cities debate oversight
The department is also examining how Flock information is shared with other agencies. Texas City told commissioners its data is currently available through reciprocal agreements with 768 active agencies, including federal and out-of-state partners.
Patterson said the current administration plans to review those sharing policies and discuss whether changes are needed. He said leaders will look at the reciprocal relationships and decide whether adjustments make sense.
The discussion comes as Houston-area communities continue debating license plate reader cameras, data access and privacy concerns. Neighboring League City recently approved a citizen committee to audit its own use of Flock cameras.
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