Documented Incident

Cities RejectingLegislationPrivacyPublic OppositionFlorida

Florida DOT orders license plate readers off state roads; Central Florida agencies begin removals

Event: September 1, 2026 · First reported: September 1, 2026 · 36 sources

A Florida Department of Transportation memo issued Monday directed the removal of Flock Safety and similar automated license plate readers from state roads, citing reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and what it called surveillance schemes. Within a day, agencies across Osceola, Lake, Seminole and Volusia counties began dismantling or pausing their camera programs, and Lake County commissioners voted to remove them entirely. The Orange County Sheriff's Office said it would comply with the order while continuing to use the technology where permitted by law. Gov. Ron DeSantis had said the week before that ALPR use in Florida had gotten 'out of control.'

Why this matters

A statewide transportation directive is an unusual lever for restricting police surveillance technology, and Florida's action offers other states a template for curbing ALPR deployment without new legislation. It also leaves unresolved questions about what rules, if any, will govern future use.

Key facts

Sources

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

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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 September 9, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.