Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered the removal of all automated license plate readers from Florida state highways within 30 days, citing growing concerns about government surveillance and repeated cases of law enforcement officers abusing the technology to track former romantic partners and family members.
State Revokes Camera Approvals Amid Privacy Concerns
The Florida Department of Transportation announced Monday it is revoking all existing approvals for automated license plate recognition systems installed by local agencies along the State Highway System. The department will remove any devices remaining after the 30-day deadline and has stopped approving future installation requests. Officials cited an exponential increase in deployments alongside mounting concerns about misuse, data privacy, and surveillance as reasons for immediate action.
Flock Safety operates one of the nation’s largest license plate reader networks, though several companies provide similar technology. The cameras photograph passing vehicles and collect license plate numbers and other vehicle details, which law enforcement can search to locate suspects, stolen vehicles, or missing people. Florida agencies have repeatedly credited the technology with helping solve cases.
Officers Caught Misusing Technology for Personal Tracking
Multiple Florida law enforcement officers have faced criminal charges for accessing license plate databases improperly. A Haines City officer was arrested after allegedly searching Flock data for his estranged wife’s vehicle more than 700 times between September 2024 and June 2026. A former Sumter County detective was fired and charged after investigators claimed she used Flock and other databases to gather information about her husband’s former wife. Additional officers have faced accusations of tracking former romantic partners or connected individuals.
Privacy advocates warn the known cases may represent only a fraction of improper searches, as some misuse may never be discovered. DeSantis said he supports giving law enforcement investigative tools but opposes turning Florida into a surveillance state. The governor called for lawmakers to address the issue and proposed an artificial intelligence bill of rights.
Company Responds with New Safeguards
Flock CEO Garrett Langley has argued for stronger safeguards rather than outright bans, comparing camera bans to banning vehicles entirely. The company announced mandatory implementation of its Audit Assistance system, which flags suspicious activity including repeated searches for the same plate or searches conducted while officers are off duty. Users flagged for potential misuse will be automatically locked out pending review. By year’s end, most searches will require a case code tied to an investigation, though emergency searches can bypass this requirement. Flock is also reducing its default data retention period from 30 days to seven days.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried criticized DeSantis and Republican leaders for allowing the technology to spread without sufficient safeguards. The debate continues as lawmakers balance law enforcement capabilities against privacy and constitutional concerns about government surveillance.