The tiny Texas town of Bandera, home to roughly 900 residents, has ended its contract with Flock Safety for eight AI-powered license plate reader cameras.
The 3-2 vote followed months of backlash from residents who cited privacy concerns and government overreach.
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Some opponents even vandalized or cut down camera poles multiple times, according to 404 Media.
Bandera had installed the cameras through a Texas public safety grant, but despite state funding, opposition grew as residents argued the town already has extremely low crime.
At last week's meeting, one resident asked how many meetings it would take for officials to accept the community didn't want the system.
Another said Flock "doesn't pass the vibe check."
After the vote, Councilman Jeff Flowers, who opposed the termination, issued a public letter titled the "Bandera Declaration of Digital Independence."
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In it, he proposed a "total ban on all cellular and GPS-capable devices," prohibit outward-facing cameras, and eliminate internet services and electronic record keeping.
His vision: returning Bandera to something closer to 1880 with paper ledgers and cash transactions.
Flowers' sarcastic proposal highlights the broader national debate over privacy versus surveillance.
Critics note that a person choosing to carry a smartphone is not the same as an automated surveillance network designed to capture thousands of images daily and make them searchable.
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Similar fights over AI surveillance tools have erupted across the country, but few officials have responded by threatening to drag their town back to the 19th century.
