For decades, law enforcement agencies in Florida have utilized a key piece of equipment to track and arrest criminals.
They’re known as automated license plate readers, and they’re even used to help locate an abducted child, a missing elderly person or stolen car.
Ongoing national public outcry over the proliferation of these cameras and privacy concerns, however, prompted Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to revoke all permits for automated license plate readers used by police on state rights of way.
An Aug. 31 memorandum from Will Watts, chief operating officer and assistant secretary for the Florida Department Transportation, states all automated license plate readers, like Flock Safety cameras, must be removed within 30 days. Those readers not removed within the established timeframe will be removed by FDOT, the memorandum reads.
“While Florida law limits the issuance of permits for LPR systems to law enforcement agencies, the recent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians’ sovereignty and quality of life,” the memorandum reads.
Discontinuing the use of LPRs in the Sunshine State has many Florida sheriffs criticizing the decision made by the DeSantis administration. Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said the move essentially eliminates the most effective crime-fighting tool for law enforcement.
“They make the community safer. I think in this case, the governor is making a quick, irrational decision that is going to affect the safety of the state of Florida,” Ramsay told Keys Weekly. “As a result, this will only help criminals and will make communities less safe and secure and make it harder for law enforcement to find abducted children and respond to Silver and Amber Alerts.”
Ramsay said the sheriff’s office has license plate readers on the state right of way, although they’re not the Flock Safety camera brand. But they operate the same: The reader obtains pictures of a vehicle’s license plate and the vehicle. If the owner of the vehicle has an outstanding arrest warrant, it will notify law enforcement. If the car owner’s license is suspended, it too will alert deputies.
“The goal is to get criminals off the streets, so they don’t hurt citizens here or abroad,” Ramsay said.
Days before the Aug. 31 memorandum, DeSantis offered comments that were critical of automated license plate readers. Much of the attention nationally has surrounded the Flock Safety cameras. More than 7,000 law enforcement agencies use Flock cameras. Some critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union, say tracking every passing vehicle violates personal privacy without individual consent.
“I’m all about having law enforcement to have the tools to hold criminals accountable. But I don’t want to have this become a surveillance state,” DeSantis said during an Aug. 26 press conference at Florida International University. “Whether it’s online with digital surveillance or with cameras, at what point are we just going to be free to not have to deal with any of that? I think it needs to be overhauled for sure.”
Before FDOT’s memorandum went out, and before DeSantis’ comments, a large group of state and national law enforcement associations issued a joint statement on how the technology is used every day in communities across the nation, and more importantly how it saves lives.
“When a child is missing, a trafficking victim is being moved across jurisdictions, or a violent offender is on the road, every minute matters,” the joint statement reads. “ALPR technology gives investigators a critical lead in seconds — helping law enforcement find someone in danger, identify a dangerous suspect or connect a vehicle to a serious crime before that opportunity is lost.”
The joint statement included the Association of State Criminal Investigation Agencies, Major County Sheriffs of America, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, National Sheriff’s Association and the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Directors Association.
The Florida Sheriffs Association tried to engage in dialogue with the governor’s office about ALPRs in hopes of addressing the concerns and allowing law enforcement to keep using the equipment. It never came to fruition. Like Ramsay, sheriffs throughout the state have been outspoken about the governor’s decision.
“They simply sit in a public place and catch the bad guys,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
“To be clear, this technology has helped apprehend murderers and robbers, and saved children from being abducted and found missing people,” said Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
During a recent press conference, Attorney General James Uthmeier said there’s a balance between putting criminals in jail and ensuring these cameras aren’t placed all over communities. But he also said the technology has gone too far with law enforcement officers misusing the database.
In Monroe County, deputies twice used the equipment beyond their legal scope of employment. Ramsay said the sheriff’s office identified, investigated and fired former deputy Jennifer Ketcham for using her computer to forward confidential information to suspected drug dealers. She pleaded no contest and was sentenced last November to three years in prison followed by five years probation.
There was also the case last March of a deputy who used his computer and license plate reader to pull over a woman he met during a filming of “Bad Monkey” on Big Pine Key. The former deputy, Lamar Roman, was working off-duty security when he ran into the woman. He used the license plate reader system to track the woman who attempted to reject his advances. He ended up speeding — and nearly caused a head-on collision — to intercept her. Roman is currently in a 24-month pretrial diversion program.
Ramsay said both officers had their certifications revoked, meaning they will never be officers again.
“We’re holding people accountable and we’re being transparent when people are misusing their equipment,” he said.
Some argue the governor’s decision is hypocritical, especially given that Florida’s toll roads use the same ALPR equipment to collect money.
Florida’s Turnpike relies on cameras and advanced equipment to collect tolls electronically as vehicles pass. Sensors at tolling points determine the number of axles on each vehicle, which establishes the appropriate toll amounts.
“This generates millions of dollars for the state. He (the governor) wants to keep financial generation of funds for the state, and is willing to invade privacy to make money,” Ramsay said.
And Ramsay argues the cameras on tolled highways are even more invasive to one’s privacy. Not only do they get a vehicle’s license plate, but they also take pictures of the person behind the wheel and any passengers. ALPR cameras used by the sheriff’s office only get images of the license plate and vehicle, and not an upclose look inside.
Contrary to what the governor said, Ramsay said FDOT keeps the information they capture via ALPRs on tolled roads for up to three years. That data has helped law enforcement in many criminal investigations, Ramsay said.
“When he (the governor) says the data collected is used to write a ticket, he’s either uninformed or being less than truthful,” Ramsay said. “The data is used by all law enforcement. All they have to do is contact the state and get the information. We’ve used it countless times for criminal investigations to see where they’re going, what car they’re in, who the driver is to possibly ID the suspect.”
Ramsay said the sheriff’s office will take down the cameras and won’t buck the governor. He said the license plate readers are efficient when they’re located close to the road, and placing them anywhere outside of the right of way wouldn’t be of use to law enforcement. He reiterated his disagreement with what he called a terrible public safety decision.
“This will go down as one of the worst decisions in his career as governor,” Ramsay said. “If it’s broken, let’s fix it and make it better. But his answer was emotional, reactionary and politically outspoken.”
DeSantis said he was hoping the Florida Legislature would discuss the matter, and more specifically his AI Bill of Rights legislation during session. The Senate passed the bill but the Florida House never took it up.
FDOT’s memorandum states it will also deny any future requests for ALPR systems within its jurisdiction.
