Overview
- The Florida Department of Transportation revoked permits for automated license‑plate readers on state highway rights‑of‑way and told agencies they have 30 days to remove devices before the state removes them.
- The memo, issued Monday by FDOT leadership, said a recent exponential increase in deployments plus reports of misuse and surveillance schemes warranted immediate action.
- Several Florida sheriff’s offices and cities responded by shutting down or discontinuing their Flock and other ALPR programs, with agencies in Duval, Putnam, Franklin and multiple Central Florida localities announcing removals or suspensions.
- Flock Safety said it will make its Audit Assistance tool mandatory, require case numbers for most searches and cut default data retention from 30 days to seven days, but critics and lawmakers say those changes leave enforcement gaps.
- The order is the latest step in a nationwide backlash that has led to dozens of local cancellations, officer investigations and vandalism of cameras, and it could spur state and federal rulemaking on access, retention and audits.