Texas Attorney General orders City of Conroe to release some information about Flock cameras

CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- A Conroe man is calling it a win after the Attorney General's office ordered the City of Conroe to release documents they were trying to withhold related to Flock cameras.

In documents obtained by ABC13, the Texas Attorney General's Office ordered the City of Conroe to release some of the information it sought to withhold from James Fletes about Flock cameras in Conroe.

According to Flock's website, their cameras read license plates, and that information can be accessed by partner agencies like law enforcement to help find stolen vehicles or missing people.

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But Flock has grown increasingly controversial as people have argued the cameras pose privacy and data-sharing security risks.

Eyewitness News has even reported on law enforcement being accused of misusing the technology.

Fletes told ABC13 in April that all the residents of Conroe want is some transparency.

"Everyone in the community wants to feel safe. Everyone agrees that maybe this is something that could help with hit-and-runs, kidnappings, things like that. To me, I just haven't seen that data to prove that," Fletes said.

Fletes said he made an open records request in March, asking for contracts, emails, and information about how Flock data is used and shared.

Fletes said he crowdfunded the more than $1,200 the city said the request would cost to fulfill. But after paying, the city sent some of his requests to the Attorney General in an attempt to withhold some of the information.

The city's request says it wanted to withhold information about crimes involving children, crimes still under investigation, and "proprietary information provided by Flock Safety."

"I'm frustrated to be honest, but I'm not tired, and I'm not going to stop," Fletes said.

The AG ruled the city does not have to release some information about certain crimes, but other information, like how Flock provides their services, has to be made public.

The AG made this ruling July 13, and state law says the city has 10 business days to comply, meaning the information needs to be released by next week.

ABC13 has reached out to the city and is waiting to hear back.