The Florida Department of Transportation and Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that automatic license plate reader cameras, also known as Flock cameras, will be removed from state roads.
The removal must be completed within 30 days, according to a memorandum released by FDOT.
DeSantis said the decision comes amid growing concerns about the potential misuse of license plate reader data by private companies and law enforcement.
“You also have to say, OK, how could this be misused? And how could a private company misuse the data, but also law enforcement?” DeSantis said. “We know there was an officer in Florida who was using the LPR data to track, like, an ex-girlfriend or something like that.”
DeSantis was referring to an incident in August involving a former Sarasota police officer who is facing felony charges after allegedly searching a license plate 355 times using Flock surveillance cameras.
The cameras, made by Flock Safety and other companies, use artificial intelligence to help track suspects and flag speeders. They can also identify a vehicle’s make, model, color and speed, even in low-light conditions.
In Jacksonville, DeSantis said that while the cameras can be useful to law enforcement, they also raise concerns about public privacy.
“There’s obviously times where I think this has been useful, but where’s this data going?” DeSantis said. “They claim the companies are not misusing it, but no one is watching that.”
The decision has drawn both public support and backlash. Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner criticized the removal, calling it a “hit to public safety” in a post on X.
