Police around Northeast Florida are stopping the use of Flock cameras after the state revoked permits and licenses for license plate reader technology around the state.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters posted an announcement on Facebook on Monday saying the technology had proven to be “an enormously valuable investigative tool.” But, “given the decision made at the state level and the concerns expressed by members of our community, I have determined that discontinuing the use of this technology is the appropriate course of action at this time,” Waters said.
Nassau and Clay counties also announced they were discontinuing license plate readers. Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach said the county’s 18 cameras will be disconnected immediately and removed within 30 days. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office could not be reached for confirmation that it would stop using the cameras.
The FDOT memo said, “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.”