The Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) has officially revoked the authority for local law enforcement agencies to install automated license plate readers (ALPRs) along state highways. Announced via a one-page memo on Monday, the directive targets devices made by Flock Safety and other surveillance providers. Will Watts, the chief operating officer of the Florida DOT, cited an "exponential increase" in camera deployments alongside concerning reports regarding data privacy violations and misuse schemes as the primary drivers for this policy shift.
Strict Compliance Timeline
The state has issued a strict 30-day deadline for all affected law enforcement agencies to remove these surveillance tools from state roadways. If local departments fail to comply voluntarily, the DOT stated it will take down the cameras itself. Furthermore, the agency announced it would cease issuing any future requests for LPR systems within its jurisdictional authority. The DOT described this move as a necessary effort to "preserve Floridians’ sovereignty and quality of life" in an era of increasing surveillance capabilities, as we reported in Florida Revokes Flock Camera Permits on State Highways.
Documented Cases of Misuse
The decision comes after significant scrutiny regarding the reliability and ethical use of ALPR technology. Florida has been identified as a location with multiple documented instances of police officers misusing Flock’s database. In one reported incident, an officer used the system to track a woman he met while working security on a TV shoot before pulling her over. Another case involved a Florida woman who was wrongfully arrested and jailed for 13 days due to a false positive identification by the Flock system, as we reported in Florida Revokes Flock Camera Permits on State Highways.
Broader National Context
While several cities across the United States have canceled contracts with Flock Safety, Florida represents one of the first states to implement such action at the state level. This move parallels recent developments in Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott announced a block on state agencies purchasing similar cameras last month. The Texas Tribune reported that the state had spent approximately $30 million cumulative funds on these systems prior to the policy reversal.
