Statewide Ban on Highway License Plate Readers
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has revoked all active permits for automated license plate readers (ALPRs) on state highway rights-of-way, a move that affects devices operated by local law enforcement agencies, including those manufactured by Flock Safety. The decision was communicated in a one-page memo issued August 31 by FDOT Chief Operating Officer Will Watts, who cited the "recent exponential increase" in deployments and "concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes."
Under the memorandum, agencies and companies have 30 days to remove ALPR devices from state highway rights-of-way. The agency also announced it will "cease issuance of all future requests for LPR systems within its jurisdictional authority," describing the action as part of an effort to "preserve Floridians' sovereignty and quality of life."
The directive follows comments by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said during an August 27 news conference that license plate reader activity had become "out of control." The order applies to state rights-of-way; cameras on private property or local rights-of-way are not affected.
Local Agencies Respond
Two Florida sheriff's offices have announced they will comply with the order. Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott said his agency identified 27 ALPR devices that meet the criteria for removal and has begun the process. In a statement, Scott said he has closely followed the national conversation surrounding ALPR technology and has listened to concerns from local residents regarding privacy, data collection, information retention, access to collected data, and how that information may ultimately be used.
Putnam County Sheriff D. "Gator" DeLoach ordered all 18 ALPR cameras on major roadways in the county to be disconnected immediately and said the county would cancel its contract for the technology. DeLoach said his office will discontinue use of ALPR cameras and related technology unless the Florida Legislature provides additional direction and establishes laws governing their use.
Supporters and Critics Weigh In
Supporters of ALPR technology say it has helped law enforcement solve serious crimes and locate missing people. Scott noted that his agency uses ALPR technology to investigate crimes including homicides, violent assaults, armed robberies, burglaries, and missing-person cases. DeLoach said the cameras were first installed in the county in 2022 and have helped locate residents with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, assisted in tracking and arresting murder suspects, and helped locate a teenage human-trafficking victim in 2026. He expressed confidence that his deputies used the technology lawfully and responsibly, citing safeguards that include requiring a case number for searches and conducting quarterly audits.
One widely cited recent success involved the Marion County Sheriff's Office, which used ALPR technology to track an Amber Alert suspect's SUV in real time and help locate a 13-year-old girl abducted from her home on July 27, according to the Ocala Star Banner.
Critics, however, point to cases in which the cameras have been misused. Five former Albany Police Department officers in Georgia have been accused of using Flock license plate reader technology to conduct personal searches unrelated to official investigations. Gizmodo reported at least five documented cases of Florida police officers using Flock's database, including an incident in which an officer who met a woman while working security detail on a TV shoot used Flock cameras to identify her car, track her, and eventually pull her over, and a case in which a Florida woman was wrongfully arrested and jailed for 13 days after Flock's system misidentified her vehicle.
Flock Safety did not respond to a request for comment from Gizmodo at the time of publication.