Sheriff’s Offices across the panhandle cease Flock camera partnership usage after Governor Ron DeSantis’ announcement to remove all flock cameras along state highways.
Flock cameras are automated license plate readers (ALPR) that are created by Flock Safety that record and log vehicle data as they drive past. National discussion has been made on the constitutionality of these cameras, with opponents citing an invasion of privacy while those in favor highlight the usage by law enforcement offices to help catch kidnapping victims and assist in searching for criminals.
As of time of writing, the following counties have released their own statements:
Leon County
The Leon County Sheriff’s office announced Monday its Sheriff, Walt McNeil, suspended the use of Flock cameras until further oversight and regulation is placed on the technology.
McNeil has submitted a request to the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies to establish standards requiring audits of system use and requiring public reports of those audit findings.
“Until additional oversight and accountability measures are established, I believe suspending our use of this technology is the responsible course of action,” McNeil said. “Public safety and public trust must go hand in hand.
But there will still be some Flock cameras operating in Leon County for now. A spokesperson with the Tallahassee Police Department issued a statement to WFSU that they will comply with the state's direction on getting Flock cameras off state roads, but did not say it would stop operation of Flock cameras on city roads.
"The Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) recognizes the significant value tools like license plate readers can provide in investigations involving missing persons, human trafficking and violent offenses. TPD will comply with the Florida Department of Transportation’s directive regarding automated license plate readers located within state roadway rights-of-ways and looks forward to the City Commission’s discussion about this issue at its Sept. 9 meeting," the statement read.
The Tallahassee City Commission voted last week to keep the tech.
Bay County
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said his department is halting its use of Flock cameras in a statement on his office’s Facebook Tuesday afternoon.
He said it was not an easy decision due to it being useful in solving crimes, but wants to pause its use until the Florida legislature makes statewide rules to protect people from misuse of the technology.
“I believe we can protect individual liberty while giving law enforcement the tools necessary to protect our communities. Those are not competing responsibilities. As Sheriff, I have an obligation to do both,” he wrote.
Jackson County
Jackson County Sheriff’s office announced it was halting use of Flock cameras in a comment-restricted Facebook post Tuesday afternoon.
The statement from Sheriff Donald Edenfield’s office said that while it had safeguards in place and had no findings of misuse, the decision was in response to privacy concerns from the public.
“Our job is to protect the people of Jackson County, and that includes respecting your privacy,” the statement read.
Gadsden County
In an email to WFSU Public Media, Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Anglie Holmes said its Sheriff Morris A. Young has issued a directive to suspend using the Flock camera system.
“This decision was difficult due to its value as an investigative tool. However, we realize we have to balance proper use with sound policy to ensure we are not violating a person’s rights. It has been a useful resource in aiding with solving homicides, violent crimes and locating fugitives,” she wrote.
Franklin County
Franklin County Sheriff AJ “Tony” Smith has taken a hands-on approach to removing Flock cameras from his county.
He announced in a social video recorded in his vehicle Monday.
“Flock in Franklin County, or any license plate readers are going away. We turned our access off to it today, so we're no longer accessing it,” he said.
When he received reports that the cameras were still taking pictures Tuesday, he went out, put a plastic bag over them, and disconnected them.
Holmes County
The Holmes County Sheriff’s office had four Flock cameras operating in its county. They announced they were removing it in light of the policy changes from the Florida Department of Transit.
“We also recognize that some community members have concerns about privacy and view LPR technology as intrusive. We respect those concerns and everyone’s opinions. We believe discontinuing the use of these cameras at this time is in the best interest,” the office wrote in a social media post announcing the removal of the cameras.
Jefferson County
Jefferson County Sheriff Mac McNeil said that Jefferson County would be discontinuing the usage of FLOCK/LPR in Jefferson County. McNeil said that while the technology has been helpful for the rural county during investigation, it does not outweigh the personal rights of private individuals.
“This decision reflects the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to maintaining public trust, listening to the concerns of our community, and ensuring that our law enforcement practices are consistent with both the law and the needs and expectations of the citizens of Jefferson County,” McNeil wrote. “Our responsibility remains unchanged: to protect and serve the people of Jefferson County to the best of our ability, while doing so with integrity, accountability, and respect for the rights of every citizen.”
McNeil said that each camera has been shut down and will no longer operate or collect vehicle data.
Liberty County
Liberty County Sheriff Robert ‘Dusty’ Arnold shared the decision to cease all usage of flock cameras on Facebook. Arnold said that while the technology had been useful in assisting with different cases, until a court can determine the constitutionality of the cameras, it is his job to err on the side of caution.
“There will always be a balance between giving law enforcement the tools necessary to protect our communities and ensuring that government does not infringe upon the liberties of the people it exists to serve,” he wrote. “When there are legitimate questions about where that line should be drawn, I believe government should err on the side of protecting the constitutional rights of its citizens until those questions are resolved.”
Arnold said that until better discussions are shared from the courts regarding the privacy of citizens, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office will pause their participation with flock cameras.
Calhoun County
Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office has decided to no longer use the flock cameras located in the area a representative wrote on Facebook.
“Our decision to discontinue the Sheriff’s Office’s use of the Flock system reflects our commitment to transparency, accountability, and maintaining the trust of the community we serve,” they wrote. “The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting our community while respecting the rights and privacy of every citizen.”
Calhoun county has six flock cameras, and while the sheriff’s office will no longer utilize and access them, they will stay up as the state is responsible for removal.
Wakulla County
Wakulla county Sheriff Jared Miller said that his department would stop their partnership with flock cameras immediately. The decision came after evaluating the technology and weighing it against the concerns of the community.
“Maintaining the public’s trust is more important than the use of any single technology,” Miller said in a Facebook post. “Our responsibility is not to defend a system simply because we agreed to evaluate it. Our responsibility is to examine the facts, learn from our experience, identify concerns when they arise, and determine whether the results justify continued use.”
As the contract is directly with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Miller said that the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office is simply removing themselves from participating in using the cameras throughout Wakulla county.
Walton County
Walton County was the first county in the state of Florida to enact a county wide ban on flock camera usage during a commissioners meeting earlier this month. The ban passed unanimously, and was originally seen as a discussion into ensuring the safety of Walton residents' liberties.
“I mean, you got to weigh safety, you know, with liberty,” Commissioner Dan Curry said.
Washington County
A representative from Washington county Sheriff's office informed WFSU that the agency does not plan to issue a statement.
As of publication, the following counties have either not published their own statements WFSU could identify and have not returned requests for comment to WFSU. The story will be updated once a comment is received:
Gulf County
Taylor County
Madison County
