Florida orders Flock cameras removed from highways

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:41:35 +0000

Florida’s Department of Transportation ordered local agencies to remove Flock and other automated license plate reader cameras from the State Highway System within 30 days, saying the department may remove any devices left after the deadline. The order followed privacy and misuse concerns over camera systems that capture license plate information, vehicle characteristics and travel locations for law enforcement searches. The Florida order came as communities in Illinois, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Minnesota and other states reviewed, paused, removed or defended the systems. Local government and law enforcement supporters cited investigations involving homicides, shootings, drug possession, stolen vehicles, violent criminals and illegal guns, while critics pointed to privacy risks, public trust and alleged officer misuse for personal tracking.

Highlights:

Federal attention: President Trump said Flock cameras are “being studied right now” and that his administration would have “an answer soon” in the coming weeks.
Retention rules: Shakopee officials discussed cutting Flock data retention from 30 days to one week, while Minnesota Rep. Brad Tabke proposed destruction within 48 hours unless tied to an active criminal investigation.
Contract costs: Chesterfield County, Virginia, has 88 Flock cameras under a contract running to June 2029 and pays $2,500 to $3,000 per device, or about $225,000 per year.
Network reach: Flock-related automated license plate reader systems now include more than 120,000 deployed cameras across the United States, according to The Daily Signal.

These cameras are a powerful tool that do not have enough oversight on their use, and allow the government to use them in ways that further implicate citizens' freedom of movement, expression, and privacy. - Vincent Alessio

Perspectives:

Florida Department of Transportation: The department revoked permits for cameras on state roads, stopped approving new requests and said surveillance concerns “merit immediate action to preserve Floridians' sovereignty and quality of life.” (Boing Boing)
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner: Meiner said he would bring legislation to “take back control of our roads from the state” and cited cases involving violent criminals, illegal guns and stolen vehicles. (Local 10)
Shakopee Police Chief Jamie Pearson: Pearson called the cameras an “important investigative tool” and said the city was considering a shorter retention period for stored data. (FOX 9)
Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike: Neitzke-Troike said the village supports giving officers tools but does not want those tools used for personal purposes while a Will County deputy faces an internal investigation. (CBS News)
Abington Police Chief John Bonney: Bonney said officers recognized community concerns and that policing depends on maintaining public trust rather than simply having the newest technology. (Boston.com)

Sources:

How Flock Cameras Took Over America - nytimes.com
Communities tearing out Flock cameras and quietly replacing them with other companies' cameras - reddit.com
Nampa police show neighbors LPRs and surveillance cameras up close amid growing privacy concerns - Idaho News 6 - google.com
Shakopee flock cameras: City defends surveillance tools amid misinformation concerns - fox9.com
Joliet Township highway commissioner revokes Flock camera permits, citing privacy concerns - abc7chicago.com
DeSantis’ Flock camera removal order ‘going to take a hit on public safety,’ local officials say - local10.com
4 more Mass. towns stop using or pause use of Flock cameras - boston.com
Chester County privacy group continues fight to remove Flock cameras, terminate contracts - qcnews.com
Flock cameras spark debate as Chicago suburbs take different approaches - wgntv.com
DeSantis Deals Blow to Controversial Flock Cameras - dailysignal.com
Shakopee leaders discuss Flock cameras, while a state lawmaker pushes for tougher rules - kstp.com
Florida revokes Flock camera permits - boingboing.net
Why the Flock Backlash Has Gotten So Intense - theatlantic.com
Homer Glen pauses use of Flock cameras amid investigation into misuse by county officer - cbsnews.com
Safety tool or privacy threat? Florida pulls the plug on license plate readers - news4jax.com
Catching up: Flock cameras are generating controversy, but Chesterfield’s contract runs through 2029 - richmonder.org
Florida law enforcement agencies push back on Flock cam ban on state roads - wfla.com

Kagi News - Privacy

Florida orders Flock cameras removed from highways

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