Growing concerns over license plate readers could surface in Collier County Tuesday during the September meeting of the Board of County Commissioners with residents being urged to sign up to speak and make their views known about the information-collecting devices.
The issue has gained local and national attention in recent months and last week Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration, citing concerns over privacy, moved to shut down the newly ubiquitous technology on state roads.
The cameras, made by Flock Safety and other companies, use artificial intelligence to track suspects and flag speeders. But reports of abuse by police in Florida and around the country have sparked a bipartisan push to rethink their use.
A memo from the Florida Department of Transportation to local law enforcement agencies stated the authority to use the cameras on state roads is being withdrawn.
“While Florida law limits the issuance of permits for LPR systems to law enforcement agencies, the recent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians’ sovereignty and quality of life,” the memo from FDOT chief operating officer Will Watts states.
The Collier commissioners, meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of County Commissioners Chambers, third floor, Collier County Government Center, will hear a "recommendation to receive an informational update from the Collier County Sheriff's Office regarding the use of license plate reader (LPR) technology and safeguards for use in Collier County," as part of County Manager Amy Patterson's report.
The report listed on the agenda also is marked with a "This item is to be heard no sooner than 9:30 AM" notation.
According to several web sites, especially the crowdsource-oriented deflock.org, there are close to 600 such license plate readers of various manufacture across the county.
A number of organizations have flagged the Tuesday meeting with notices on social media urging Collier County residents attend.
According to the FDOT memo, local law enforcement agencies that previously received a permit to use the cameras to take them down within 30 days. The memo also states there aren’t going to be any more permits given going forward.
Some web sites show hundreds of the cameras installed across multiple jurisdictions in Southwest Florida.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno posted his reaction on the X social media site: "There is no doubt that technology can be a double edged sword. While it has helped us in major investigations and locating missing persons, we must understand the general public’s fear of misuse."
Other local sheriffs, such as Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell were irked by the move to pull the Flock devices.
"I am very disappointed. Today the criminals are jumping up and down for joy. Again, politicians are having knee jerk reactions to something that really isn't a problem and not looking at what the true benefit of this technology is and how it is being used," he said in a comment sent via email by the CCSO.
Prummell said that if there are people abusing this system, they need to be held accountable just like is done for any other criminal justice system they have access to.
But Cape Coral Police Department Chief Anthony Sizemore had a different reaction and said his department would discontinue the use of the license plate-reading technology.
Sizemore posted a lengthy explanation for his decision on the department's web site and said that for more than a decade, the Cape Coral Police Department responsibly used automated license plate reader technology as one of many tools available to its officers and investigators.
"During that time, ALPR technology has helped us solve countless crimes and develop investigative leads that otherwise may not have existed. It has played a role in multiple homicide investigations, helping us identify and apprehend violent offenders who are now serving life sentences in prison.
"It has helped us locate stolen vehicles, identify suspects, find missing people, and ultimately hold criminals accountable. It is a tool. Nothing more—and nothing less," he said in the posting.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report
