The Florida Department of Transportation is revoking permits for automated license plate readers on roads in the national highway network, according to a memo issued by the ministry on Monday.
The devices must be removed within 30 days of the memo, the agency said.
The removal comes as Flock Safety faces a flood of backlash in response to the automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, found in thousands of cities across the US. The cameras are often placed along roads or at intersections to capture and store license plate information, and are used by law enforcement agencies to assist with investigations.
In addition to data privacy and Big Brother-like concerns, Flock has also come under scrutiny for misreading license plates and contributing to wrongful arrests. Residents across the country have made the demand removal of Flock cameras while vandals have removed them themselves or covered them with garbage bags or paint.
Following the Florida Department of Transportation memo, the Jacksonville sheriff said his office would end the use of license plate readers throughout Duval County, citing the decision and residents’ concerns.
“LPR technology has proven to be an enormously valuable investigative tool, helping our agency solve serious crimes and locate missing and vulnerable individuals,” Sheriff TK Waters said in a statement. “However, 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.”
Several other Florida sheriff’s offices also said they would stop using Flock cameras after the state order, including in Franklin County, Liberty County and Putnam County.
They join a growing list of jurisdictions that have ended their relationship with Flock.
Last week, Tempe, Arizonasaid it would close its network of 33 Flock cameras, citing the risk of abuse and the need to maintain community trust. The Los Angeles Police Department let Flock’s contract expire in July.
Business Insider is one of many publications that have reported on Flock. A study published in March revealed ten cases involving a Flock camera misread a license plate or officers failed to verify an alert, leading to several instances in which a person who had not committed a crime was apprehended or detained by law enforcement. In July, Business Insider reported that the Flock cameras in the city of Roseville, California, had done just that license plates read incorrectly in 71% of the warnings sent to the police in 2023 and 2024.
Flock did not respond to a request for comment.
