WAKULLA COUNTY, FL (WTXL) — Multiple Big Bend counties are suspending or terminating their use of automated license plate recognition systems after the Florida Department of Transportation revoked permits for LPR cameras on state roads Monday.
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Leon, Wakulla, Franklin, and Liberty counties have all announced they are ending their use of the cameras. Leon, Wakulla, and Franklin said they have already been in contact with vendors and the state regarding their contracts.
Ron Cave, undersheriff with the Leon County Sheriff's Office, said Sheriff McNeil wants to ensure transparency and public trust.
"We notified our vendors as it relates to LPRs and said that we are moving forward with suspending program completely. We're going to be following up with a formal letter. Depends upon the contractual terms, obviously. We've also cut off and ceased access of the system by our employees," Cave said.
Cave said employee access to the system has been cut off, but the cameras themselves remain physically in place. The cameras are leased through LPR vendors, meaning the agencies cannot remove them directly.
"It's going to take a little time to get those down, and the vendor is responsible for removing those. So we've notified the vendor, vendors, and they're going to be removing the cameras probably within the next couple of weeks. You're going to see all the cameras down," Cave said.
In the meantime, Wakulla and Franklin counties have taken additional steps to disable the cameras. Capt. Brett Surace of the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office said teams were dispatched to every camera location.
"Then sent teams of people out to each and every location where Flock cameras were located, and had them unplugged and and then covered with with bags to disable each and every one of those cameras at this time," Surace said.
Leon County is not covering its cameras but will keep its transparency portal active until all cameras are removed. The transparency portal, which was expanded by the Leon County Sheriff's Office and Tallahassee Police Department to provide public access to camera data, will remain up as long as cameras are in place.
Franklin County Sheriff AJ Smith said the end of the LPR systems will not hinder law enforcement work.
"We're still going to use good old-fashioned police work and solve crimes, you know, boots on the ground, talking to people, being in the community, just like we always have. So I'm not concerned about that," Smith said.
Smith said that just before his interview, he received a response from Flock — an LPR vendor — about terminating the contract. The email stated: "Given the evolving nature of the situation, we are not making any premature changes to existing contracts until there is greater clarity and the situation has stabilized." The email directed partners to communicate directly with the governor's office and FDOT about the ALPR systems.
While agencies said the LPR systems had proven to be effective law enforcement tools, they said public trust and accountability take priority. Counties acknowledged the cameras have benefits but said that does not eliminate their responsibility to ensure the systems are used properly and with safeguards.
There is no current timeline for when the cameras will be physically removed.
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