Florence, S.C. adopts new Flock access limits and bars out-of-state data sharing

First reported: August 26, 2026 · 1 source

The City of Florence, South Carolina, which operates 60 Flock cameras, is putting new rules in place governing who can access license plate reader data and how. City Manager Scotty Davis said access will be limited to higher-ranking officers with unique codes who must log a stated reason and an active case number, and that data will not be shared outside South Carolina. Davis said the Police Department has not had any known instances of misuse and described the changes as proactive. The city is also forming a technology advisory committee, with applications due Sept. 4.

Why this matters

Florence's policy addresses two of the most common criticisms of ALPR systems — unlogged searches and interstate data sharing — before any documented misuse, offering a model other cities may look to as they write their own rules.

Key facts

Florence operates 60 Flock cameras in its jurisdiction.
Under the new policy, data access is limited to higher-ranking officers with unique access codes who must enter a reason and an active case number.
The city says it will only share camera data with South Carolina agencies, and only for active cases.
City Manager Scotty Davis said no misuse by Florence police has been identified.
A technology advisory committee is being formed, with members chosen by the Police Department through interviews; applications closed Sept. 4.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

City of Florence takes steps to prevent Flock camera misuse (WBTW, August 26, 2026)

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About this record

BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.

Updated August 27, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.